Seriously, I had to make this podcast because I have been getting so frustrated with the confusion in Network Marketing regarding what  a new business builder's relationship is expected to be with their upline.
The entire gist of my podcast is that you are the leader so LEAD.
Respect your upline if they earn your respect.  But you get to choose who you align yourself with.  It is not a requirement that you FOLLOW your upline blindly. If you are in a company that insists that you do then you might as well get a corporate job and work with a boss over you.
If you are coming from a corporate background then you may have the expectation that you have to follow some kind of corporate hierarchy.  Please keep your viewpoint in check.
You are not an employee to your upline.
IF you are coming into Network Marketing from the vantage point of having been an entrepreneur, you are accustomed to making your own decisions.  You already should know that mentorship and training is essential.  Whether or not that is your upline is up to you.
Most people have excellent relationships with their upline.
My point with the podcast is to emphasize the importance of a mindset that clearly understand that you are not bound to obey or follow blindly the person in your upline.
You get to choose.
So if you choose to align with the upline then that is a way to honor them.  But do not buy into the fact that you need to act like an employee.
BYOB....BE YOUR OWN BOSS!  Isn't that one of the reasons you entered this industry anyhow...