Tweet

Beware the Wannabees

Guest post by: John Grubbs

Article Overview: In nature, many creatures have copied the characteristics of other more beneficial organisms. Insects and animals copying color patterns are all wannabees in the natural world. This phenomenon is not unique to the animal world and is very common in the world of business. If something is perceived as successful, imitators are quick to appear and may even be hard to differentiate from the original source. We see this in business plans, logos, products and even training. Once successful, others are certainly going to follow. The very rules of nature apply to the everyday challenge your business faces. This path of least resistance is similar to following a trail through the jungle that was blazed by the hard work and creativity of others.

Beware the Wannabees

In nature, many creatures have copied the characteristics of other more beneficial organisms. Insects and animals copying color patterns are all wannabees in the natural world. This phenomenon is not unique to the animal world and is very common in the world of business. If something is perceived as successful, imitators are quick to appear and may even be hard to differentiate from the original source. We see this in business plans, logos, products and even training. Once successful, others are certainly going to follow. The very rules of nature apply to the everyday challenge your business faces. This path of least resistance is similar to following a trail through the jungle that was blazed by the hard work and creativity of others.

With so many organizations struggling today, one method of giving to customers and other stakeholders is to provide training. The abundance of grants and other funds have created a plethora of training providers in the business community. From non-profits to community groups, everyone is a training provider these days. Unfortunately, with this population spike, we also see the imitators that may look (on the surface) like the creature it is imitating. Yet with closer scrutiny, the differences can be easily observed.

So what is the problem? Many groups find it valuable to leave the rigor of their competencies and attempt to provide value in the form of knowledge transfer. Information for a thirsty generation seems to make a great deal of sense. In an economy with people worried, why not offer hope to the struggling enterprise in the form of business or personal growth?Tragically, these false prophets are very common. With little knowledge or experience and with no understanding of knowledge synthesis, these wannabees are invading the organizational development market in large numbers.

Armed with a promise of grant reimbursement, these so-called training providers are making tragic claims of excellence to a hopeful and concerned public. Businesses struggling to stay afloat are grabbing at anything they can to survive and will spend (in some cases what they do not have) in order to gain a glimmer of hope for the future. All the while, these imitators are more than willing to take the last dollar and make the promise of salvation or transformation.

Warning...these trainers can be disguised as people and groups we trust. They seem harmless on the surface and may even offer the hope your team is so hungry to achieve. Most often they mean no harm. Unfortunately, there are no short-cuts for business excellence.Just like dieting and health, there are many offers to shorten the hard work necessary to stay healthy. From pills to miracle diets,if it seems too-good-to-be-true; it usually is.

When you see that great offer, remember there are no shortcuts and you will often get exactly what you pay for when you choose based on price alone. Excellence takes discipline, redundancy and effort. If it were easy, your competition would already be doing it! Your team can achieve excellence through a commitment to learning that is ongoing and iterative. Each competency builds upon the successful achievement of the past. Hitting a ninety mile-per-hour fastball cannot be learned in a weekend seminar. That skill is learned slowly over years of development by someone with a foundation of talent. In the same way, great customer service or making quality products are all based on cumulative principles that are taught the proper way. Investing in the proper development of your team can truly become a value and eventually a core-competency for your organization.

Related Articles
  Amazon Bans Junk e-books
  Building Your Own Scam Radar: Ways You Can Avoid Home-Based Business Scams
  Entrepreneurs - Is The Business Opportunity Too Good To Be True?
  A Day In The Life Of An Affiliate Marketer
  Most online job and business opportunities are bogus!
  How To Qualify For Franchise Financing In Canada – A Franchising Finance Business Loan That Makes Sense!
  Email marketing is a waste of time and money
  10 Tips to Master Questions During Your Presentation with Authority
  Legitimate Work at Home Opportunity: 10 Step Checklist
  14 Ways to Collect Cash Faster
  5 Tips To Make Sure You Don’t End Up An Accidental Spammer
  Beware greenwashing your business
  Seeking Sales Answers - Beware The Charlatans!
  The Future of Advertising, Social Media & PR
  A Guide to Choosing a Work from Home Business
  Don't be bullied!
  Fine Tune Those Ethics
  Buying a Franchise
  Remain Open to Learning and New Ideas
  Do Over

Article Tags: competency, excellence, grants, imposters, training
Referred by: http://www.thetrainingbank.com/



Related Forum Posts
Re: Buy An Established Affiliate Marketing Website - Hi David and GT, thanks for posting this here. My site is going for way below value and will be a great deal for someone. The links provided are a great resource for anyone looking to buy and sell websites. The Internet is all about information and you can know what you are getting before you buy. It's a little better than days past where it was "Buyer Beware". Steve


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Counselling - Who Needs It?

Are You Reaching Out?

Leadership-A Daily Gift

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.