Why call yourself a guru when you’re not?
Credit to Author: REY ELBO| Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2019 16:21:58 +0000
GUY KAWASAKI is right: “Don’t call yourself a guru or an expert. If you are a guru or an expert, people will know it. If you aren’t one, no one is going to believe you” from that point onward.
However, in the management consulting industry, this basic principled rule is often violated by many consultants who have that shameless feeling to lie in their website and other marketing peripherals simply to fool clients and ultimately to secure deals. But they get many disapprovals. If this person can lie about his qualification, then what more about his promise to do something for your organization? Take the following excerpt from a website of one consultant: Mang Gorio (obviously, not his real name) “is a Lean Consultant, Kaizen Expert, and Bestselling Author based in Manila, Philippines…” When you do a little fact-checking here and there, you’ll discover nothing to prove that he’s “a Kaizen Expert and a Bestselling Author”.
The best you can probably accept is he’s a “Lean Consultant” like everyone else in his class. So what’s his basis for saying that he’s a “Kaizen Expert and a Bestselling Author?” Nothing. I wish I could ask him direct to the point to validate his claim, but I’m worried he may take it badly. The trouble is that potential customers don’t do background checks in the same manner when employers hire people as part of the regular workforce.
Who says Filipino voters from developing areas of our society are naïve to elect fools, grafters and thieves? Corporate managers are the worse kind. Many of them with post-graduate degrees who read hundreds of management articles a year are also naïve. They don’t bother to check the veracity of a consultant’s claim. Why is this happening at all? One might have more followers on social media, but can’t he always cheat by buying the numbers at around $10 for 1,000 followers?
Geoff Pilkington, who humbly proclaims himself a “social media expert” says: “Buying social media followers teaches a valuable lesson. That lesson is that in today’s world we are admired because of our developed skills, our talent, our values, and most importantly for the value we provide and our willingness to help others. Not by phony labels.You are not going to become Steve Jobs, Meryl Streep or Oprah Winfrey because you have 10,000 fake followers. What will get you “followers” as we like to call it today is hard work, grind, consistency, talent, timing and a bit of luck. But most importantly, being true to yourself and others.”
Even with 20,000 or 30,000 fake followers, how could you turn them into something profitable? Are you sure you can get at least 10 consistent likes for your every posting on Facebook? How about via LinkedIn that are populated with business professionals, many of whom don’t want to be seen on the populist Facebook?
No one tells people around that he’s handsome, intelligent or smart. That compliment is bestowed by your admirers and followers. If you’re truly handsome, intelligent or smart, then you don’t have to call yourself that because people will immediately notice as they gravitate towards you. Therefore, stop calling yourself as an expert or bestselling author.
“Stop calling yourself a Guru, Jedi, Rock Star, and Ninja (unless you’re a Guru, Jedi, Rock Star, and Ninja),” says personal brand maker Marc Ensign. And if I’m to add to that list, stop calling yourself a Sensei (Japanese for a great teacher).
Business writer Paula Ann Dwyer says: “In business, being called a ‘guru’ by others can be considered a compliment – but leave the praise to others to lavish upon you. It is wise not to call yourself a guru or an expert for a number of reasons: When you are humble people are more likely to feel comfortable in your presence. This is better for business, because building rapport is based on mutual understanding rather than you appearing superior. Mutual respect will get you far, and this is not cultivated when someone feels intimidated by you.”
Bestselling author Jim Collins who wrote the 2001 book “Good to Great” has introduced the so-called Level 5 leadership concept. He says: “Level 5 leaders display a powerful mixture of personal humility and indomitable will. They’re incredibly ambitious, but their ambition is first and foremost for the cause, for the organization and its purpose, not themselves. While Level 5 leaders can come in many personality packages, they are often self-effacing, quiet, reserved, and even shy.”
Collins’ thesis was supported by Susan Cain in her 2012 book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” She postulates: “There’s a whole database of studies showing that introverted leaders often deliver better outcomes than extroverted leaders. That flies in the face of what we normally think because we assume a strong leader is somebody who’s bold and charismatic. And while those can be fantastic traits, there is another constellation of traits that makes for great leadership.”
My point is this: Let your clients do the assessment for you. Allow them to put the crown on your head if you deserve it. If not, work hard to get to the point where you want to be under a stretch target you can only create.
Rey Elbo is a business consultant specializing in human resources and total quality management as a fused interest. Send feedback to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.consulting
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