Its interesting, for quite a while there have been some posts on the Tony Robbins board, asking questions about Robbins, and his techniques, etc. (I USED to be a "follower" of TR's ideas many years ago, and now am still trying to figure out his techniques).
It has been a very interesting, as there were maybe 10 people there who would criticize some things about Robbins, whereas many others would just attack anyone who would criticize him.
But for the most part, the Moderators would let people criticize Robbins a bit, and only banned one person, while WARNING people a few times to stop allegedly "bashing Tony".
Just yesterday, they started deleting and censoring posts, and told people to leave their forum, and they banned another person.
This is right around the time people were getting very explicit in explaining the advanced Sales techniques of Robbins and his inner circle.
I wonder, when does a Group become a Cult? Where is the moment? Is it when people are no longer allowed to criticize the leader?
Robbins seems to use many so-called "Mind-Control" techniques, and is getting into many dubious other things these days. Robbins has declared he wants to be a Billionaire, so that money has to come from somewhere, so i get a sense he is turning up the juice, to get even more cash out of his customers.
I wonder, is Robbins actually a type of "cultish group" right now, or just a really intense Group? Does anyone think he might be making the first moves from merely a "Cult of Personality", to something much more?
Robbins is the most manipulative person i have EVER come across in my entire life. I have never noticed someone so skilled in the Arts of Manipulation as he is.
I wonder, is the guy running a "cultlike group" already?
What do you think?
Here is a good thread on SOME of Robbins techniques called Unconscious Influence.
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www.tonyrobbins.com]
(Below is an excerpt from a post describing ONE of Robbins MANY DIFFERENT Sales techniques.)
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www.tonyrobbins.com]
Yes, there is very powerful persuasion going on underneath the surface with Tony and the sales people at his seminar. Here is a little of my story:
So I am in the hallway / lobby area and up comes "Jason" (I cant remember his name, so this is made up). Jason asks me some personal questions and "engages" me. I thought he was really cool, and he lets me know that he is on Tony's MUST team. (I know now that the MUST team is actually a very well trained sales team) I am impressed that he is on this team because he was really young, and was inspired by the fact that he was traveling around the world with Tony and the rest of the team.
He then asks me about Hawaii. (This was Life Mastery which was taking place next month in September) I told him that I really did not want to go, because of the money, but was considering going when my money situation was better off.
NOW FOR A LESSON ON HOW TO SELL SOMEONE USING TR'S TECHNOLOGY:
What Jason did next was unsuspecting and brilliant at the same time. I did not learn about what he did until a year later when I worked for an Anthony Robbins and Associates franchise and took the Power to Influence seminar.
Jason asked me what was most important to me in life. A very deep question, and one I had to think about. I told him that helping people was very important to me. I told him that learning and growing was very important. A relationship etc... He then asked me what I would do anything to move away from (i.e. pain).
For me, I would move away from embarrassment, lonliness etc..
What Jason had just done, was get my values. Both moving toward values and moving away. While he was doing this, I have to admit that I thought he was coaching me and helping me, which I loved.
Next, he dug and found some pain in my life. He found out that I absolutely hated my job. I wanted to surround myself with new people becasue I was not growing, etc...
Now, armed with this very powerful information, Jason brought up Mastery University again. He is what the conversation looked like:
Jason: You know Jerry, I know you do not want to go to Mastery next month, and you dont have to...Let me ask you a question. If by going to Mastery, you could ultimately help people the way that you want, learn and grow in the way that you really want, get that girlfriend that you really want, would you consider going?
Jerry: (totally hooked on what he was saying, and unbeleivably excited...he just repeated back EXACTLY what I told him that I wanted...THUS ANCHORING MY HIGHEST VALUES IN LIFE to MASTERY UNIVERSITY) Hell yeah!, but I cant really afford it.
Jason: Jerry, I know you cant afford it right now. Let me know this, if money were not an option RIGHT NOW, would you go?
Jerry: Yes, I definately would. But I dont have the money, and have some major problems with money.
Jason: You know, you could take care of those problems at Wealth Mastery.
Jerry: (Really wanting to solve my problem) I can?
Jason: Yes! At Wealth Mastery you will learn........(goes on and pitches W Mastery and anchors that as a solution to my financial problems)
At this point I was seeing Mastery University as THE solution to all of my problems. The one thing that was holing me back even at this point was still the money. I wanted it taken care of. And I did not think that by going to Life Mastery in Hawaii (the next month) was even near the solution for that. Jason catches on to this and...
Jason: You know Jerry, at Life Mastery, Tony has a day where he teaches you about wealth.
Jerry: He does? Really?
Jason: Yes! Here is another question. If you DONT go to Mastery, knowing that it can solve you problem, you agree that it can solve you problem right?
Jerry: Yes, definitely.
Jason: Great, If you DONT go to Mastery, knowing that it can SOLVE you problem, what will it cost you?
After I told him the answers to that, and doing a mini-dickens on me, I gave him a check for $2,000 down and a promise that I was going to Life Mastery next month as well as Date w Destiny and Wealth Mastery.
TO LIFE MASTERY
To get to Life Mastery I had to pay $4,500 cash and get my flight and room taken care of within a month, which I did. The total was right around $6,500 for this event only. What had really sold me on this event was that Tony was going to talk about Wealth. I really needed that, and the primary reason I signed up.
Well, to make a long story short, Tony never even mentioned the word "wealth" at that seminar. The part in the program where he was supposed to teach it, he skipped doing a half day of dancing and physiology. I was stunned and shocked. I walked out of the event and around the beach a little realizing that I was in a very dire financial situation having just spent $6,500 on, just a good time. Yeah there was some cool stuff I learned at that program, but not what I really needed at that point in my life. It was NOT worth the money in my opinion.
I got back home after the event and inquired about how to get some of my money back. I was very unhappy. Their main excuse was: "this is a multi program package, just because Life Mastery was not worth the $4,500 does not mean that the other programs will not make up for it." After many calls, and them not budging, I backed off.
Tony does this stuff way better than my friend "jason" too. Watch at the end of his Mastery "pitch" when he has EVERYBODY stand. "Now make a DECISION, RIGHT NOW (embedded commands that he has continuously anchored throughout the entire weekend) whether you are going to go. If not you have my respect, but (ignores his but-buster rule) if you do great. Now, as you remain standing I want you to think about what is most important to you in life...." (then he goes and casually, elegently anchors Mastery University to what is most important to you in life. Why do you think people run to the Mastery table when he tells them to go? If you were about to get what is most important to you life, you would run too...with your credit card in front of you.