STILL looking to Kirstie Alley for weight loss advice? REALLY? (Picture from IdeaGrove.com)
On April Fools Day (actually the DAY AFTER April Fools Day) Tory Johnson and Laurie Baggett pulled a prank on me… and I am carefully and diligently plotting my revenge. But, since we are still in April Fool’s “month”, I have to rant a bit about how EASILY FOOLED far too many of us are.
Last night, my husband and I were talking about his student intern. She had to teach a lesson while a professor from a local university observed and critiqued her. The professor, according to my husband, had “odd” feedback for her… ALMOST like he had never actually taught a class himself. “Weird”, he thought. So, we looked it up. This celebrated professor had, in fact, NO classroom experience to speak of… Advanced degrees? Yep. Academic awards? Sure. But, actual “in the trenches” experience…. Not a stitch. Weird? Maybe. Uncommon? I only wish.
I myself taught parenting classes before I was a parent. I never even UTTERED the words, “Hey… I’ve never had a kid… I’m basically giving you little more than a book review here. PLEASE feel free to take my advice and trash it on your way out the door.” Of course I didn’t say that, because I didn’t even KNOW all I didn’t KNOW. Instead, I dished out that advice with a confidence that can only be born from total ignorance. And, you know what? I literally taught THOUSANDS of parents… not ONE asked if I had kids of my own.
Recently, I saw a fun event being promoted that was going to teach business owners about SUCCESS and MARKETING. I’m thinking… GREAT!!! Then, I looked to see who was leading this “tribe”… a marketer who has yet to land his first paying client – EVER… a person who has never BEEN in business before – EVER… and a third with a similar (lack of) track record.
Is this FUNNY? NO!!! Because they will confidently dole out regurgitated advice (read: BOOK REVIEW) without recognizing the irony and without so much as a speck of reality-based, in the trenches perspective to season it with. And people will follow this advice… and the blind will continue to lead the blind. Sort of exactly like my parenting classes… GULP!
NON-PARENTS teaching parenting classes….Management gurus who have never managed…..Leadership experts who have only ever led a team of one…Marketers who can’t sell….Oprah and Kirstie Alley STILL making money off of their experience with weight loss….
Oh, the evidence of gullibility abounds… and I hate to see it. It puts true experts on even ground with the far-too-available “expert” seemingly born every minute. Their success depends on YOU being easily fooled by their thinly veiled lack of experience and handing over your money to learn from them. My advice: buy the book instead. Don’t settle for their cliff notes.
As Sherri Baldy (founder of www.fuzzb.com) said so succinctly last week, “I don’t believe in EXPERTS. We’re just a couple of gals who have figured some things out.” Well said.
Be careful who YOU learn from. BTW, I no longer teach parenting classes. I have three kids. NOW I know intimately how little I actually know about parenting! =)
But, in my humble opinion, here is where you can go to learn from people who have “figured some stuff out” – all while STILL being IN THE TRENCHES with you:
Steve Chandler of www.clubfearless.net , Dan Kennedy of www.dankennedy.com, and Tory Johnson of www.toryjohnson.com, and (of course) ME of www.womenwhowow.com =)
Bravo, Michelle! Another great article with keen and usable insight. Things that make you go, “hmmm…”
Fortunately, what I teach my clients to do to help them overcome their challenges and reach their goals are all things I have applied toward myself to help me with mine. And it’s worked. So I feel even more confident using it with/teaching it to them.
And as I learn from others who have experienced the challenges and situations I am experiencing and apply the tactics that were successful for them, I pass it on, KNOWING that it works because we’ve all been “in the trenches.”
Thanks for being in the trenches with us and helping us find our way out along with you!
Lisa
You may NOT have had kids back then but you did have insight into what good parenting looked like. 🙂
You are one of the most amazing mothers I have ever come across. You know better than anyone that I have a keen eye and a strong list of criteria before I give that award to someone. KUDOS to my daughter, an amazing woman and a Mom that gives to her children daily and consistenly and has raised some outstanding kids with a zest for life and common sense that rival many adults.
Way to go, Michelle. I couldn’t be more proud of anyone. To this upcoming Mothers Day, Hats Off To My Daughter and Friend. You truly are the best~
Love,
Mom
Hey Michelle! You are EXACTLY right!! Whenever I attend some type of seminar (parenting, marketing, electronics, etc), I read their bios to see what experience they have. I learned early on (pre-kids) that the best expert is the one that has the experience, not the ones with 3 letters behind their name. I will never forget; my cousin told me once; “I have been a mother longer than you!” I was 30 & she was 24 with two kids already!! After that staement, I always asked for her advice if I had a concern.