Not all professional advice is created equal. Professionals are people who not only know about their topic; they can get a successful outcome or solution.
Running a business can be a complicated exercise. There’s a lot to know. You’re supposed to be an expert in ideas, planning, people, money, products, customer service, marketing, selling, and so much more.
At times it seems impossible.
Like a ship caught in a storm, any port seems a good bet.
BUT BE WARY, THERE ARE SHARKS IN THESE WATERS.
In this article, I’d like to give you some advice on seeking advice, which I hope will help you when you’re unsure about something in your business.
Let’s start with an analogy. Imagine you had a very specific health problem. It is treatable, but only if you consult a specialist who knows how to treat it. Would you go to any general practitioner and get their advice? Of course not. You’d want someone who knew about the condition and had demonstrable results in treating it.
Unfortunately business owners have open access to social media these days, and there are so many people spruiking their ‘success models’.
Some may have actually achieved business nirvana, but many to be blunt have not.
MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO ONLY TAKE ADVICE FROM ONE OF TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE.
Someone with real results in relation to that advice – this means doing your due diligence to find out if the person actually has gotten a result in the thing that they are talking about.
If they are talking about surveys – have they done a survey that resulted in a major business success? In this scenario, it could be a consultant who you are paying to solve the problem or a mentor who wants to help you solve it.
Someone who has faced the same issues as you and solved it – if you are in business and the person you are talking to had the same problem in business and found a solution that could work for you. In this case, it is likely to be a business owner who is actually not seeking to make money from telling you their solution – they just want to help.
I’ve had many mentors in my life, and they are always people who have experience, wisdom AND success in their fields. When I ask them for advice, I’m asking someone who has been through or done what I need help with.
Sort the wheat from the chaff on this, and I guarantee you a better outcome.
My view is that a professional is someone who not only knows something about a particular topic and can give advice but can also get an outcome in that topic.
They are the specialists who can heal your health problem, not just talk about it.
Originally published on Smallville.