The word “profession,” I believe, comes from the Latin professus, which means “proclaimed publicly.” Uh, oh!

Who and what constitutes public proclamation? In law, it seems to me it’s passing the bar exam. (Being graduated from a law school is simply a precursor, and one wonders why it’s necessary if someone might pass the bar exam without attending law school. Isn’t the bar the “public proclamation”? Why require an arbitrary precursor?)

In medicine, there are academic, experiential, and residency requirements, as well as various board approvals and continuing criteria to be met. In accounting, the CPA is a clearly designated course of study and mastery, as is the CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) in insurance. To separate these from some bogus honorifics used to confuse consumers and clients (“chartered elderly financial planner”), the granting institutions are recognized and accredited by the government.

Thus, architects must be registered and certified by the state in which they practice (just as lawyers must meet separate state bar requirements), but having “AIA” after their names, (American Institute of Architects) simply indicates they have paid their dues and are a member, not that they have higher legitimacy or special accreditation. A professional engineer (PE) has similarly passed muster in the states in which he or she practices.

Thus, some things “proclaimed publicly” are sanctioned by impartial, objective, and governing bodies, and some things result from the paying of dues, or attending a private, idiosyncratic event (chartered life coach), or simply attaching some initials to one’s name. (I’ve passed muster as a Certified Management Consultant, a Certified Speaking Professional, and a CPAE Hall of Fame® member of the National Speakers Association. Those are 10 initials right there, which will get me on the subway if I also pay two dollars. I recognize that these are internal sources of recognition within the professions, not public proclamations, at lest in my view.)

Thus, the good and bad news about consulting is that there is virtually no barrier to entry. You don’t have to pass muster with the liquor commission, the gaming board, the chamber of commerce, the food and beverage people, the sanitary commission, or the school board. You just have to hang out a figurative shingle and “proclaim” yourself.

Fair enough, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I don’t want to be “approved” or regulated by people who wouldn’t know the first thing about my work, results, and methodology, but rather are only concerned with their own bureaucracy. (I’ve always wondered about those coaching universities and boot camps and such: Who certifies the certifiers?)

But that means that our responsibility is to represent the “profession” well, in that we should:
• Act ethically and always in the best interests of the client.
• Police our own profession by being honest about frauds and nonsensical methodology.
• Create intellectual property which improves the profession and its approaches.
• Work to help others attain these standards through sharing, coaching, and pro bono work.
• Ensure that our accolades come from clients and results, and not self-adulation and self-aggrandizement.

The best public proclamation comes from the delight and repeat business of our clients. That’s the only accreditation that will stand the test of time.

© Alan Weiss 2008. All rights reserved.

Comments

• May 11, 2008, Cheri writes: Amen to that! :) Thank you for your thoughtful contributions to this blog - I always walk away with something useful for my practice.

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NEW: SELF-ESTEEM WORKSHOP
December 2-3
www.summitconsulting.com/self_esteem_workshop.html

The intent is simple. Building on my work with individuals around the globe, I want to help you: Identify the uncertainties, perceived vulnerabilities, and situations which cause you to perform at less than your optimal capacity; understand the causes of those dynamics, and receive timely yet non-threatening feedback about how to resolve them; master and apply techniques that will help you maintain and manifest a high self-esteem level “in the moment” when it is most needed; avoid the debris and detritus in your life which tend to damage self-esteem, and focus on the routes of least resistance to self-worth and its manifestation. In brief, personally and professionally, you will be able to deal with daily routine and exceptional circumstances; with varied and often tough personalities in your life; and to overcome the problems caused by pressure, unfamiliarity, and perceived threat.

Accompanying photos show enthralled people just anticipating this workshop.

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My friends, one of the fundamental problems with planning is that the world has a different idea about how things are going to happen. Your assumptions, visualizations, projections, forecasts, and suppositions turn out to be wrong.

Get over it.

If the world always complied with your expectations, this would be a highly predictable, vanilla, and boring place. People don’t respond as expected, the environment undergoes radical change, group dynamics reverse course, your supporters really aren’t, you get rained out. Stuff happens.

I’m bemused by people who claim “genius” for themselves when they’ve had the good fortune to profit from a few lucky “hits” with clients who, in turn, recommended them elsewhere. Or those who are mediocre but are elevated by a strong, rising economic tide.

But when things go south, where are they? If they haven’t marketed themselves and don’t know how, where is that “genius” now? If tougher times decrease demand and only the top talent is pursued, where is the “genius” then?

We should all hope for the best but prepare for the worst. True talent is able to excel in all economies, in a multitude of environments, and with a great diversity of people. It’s not hard to sell hot dogs on the route of the great parade, but the real question is how many you can sell during the other 364 days of the year. It’s nice to find a $100 bill on the sidewalk, but I wouldn’t advise that method as a daily pursuit to feed the family.

By all means, make assumptions about the future and act upon them. But also be prepared to anticipate and handle deviations from the path. You may have an uncanny view of what the future holds.

But the world doesn’t always comply.

© Alan Weiss 2008. All rights reserved.

Comments

• May 9, 2008, ed.kless writes: Alan, As always, terrific post. I teach a project management class where during the section on planning, I quote General Eisenhower, "Planning is essential, plans are worthless." It is the thought process behind planning where the value is, once you begin to implement it is all about how well you adjust to the changes from the plan, not how far you deviate from it. I have heard it said that 90 percent of D-Day did not go according to plan, yet Ike and soliders under his command achieved 90 percent of the objectives!

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Your members can buy the Fees and Pricing Benchmark Report: Consulting Industry 2008 through your affiliate link at 20% off. The general public can buy the report at full price by visiting this link: www.raintoday.com/feesandpricingmarketing.cfm.
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Aaron Joslow
Editor
RainToday.com
ajoslow@raintoday.com
508-405-0438 ext 304

(This research report demonstrates the power of value based fees over hourly or per diem bulling, and shows the much greater wealth created for consultants who decide NOT to remain in prehistoric times. And that’s not even considering the great ethical conflict with hourly rates. This is an informational announcement, I have no financial interest in this product or in RainToday.)

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I met a woman at a fund raiser the other day, and she seemed quite impressive. She was well dressed, well spoken, had written a book, and knew some heavy hitters.

Then, when she explained why she was setting up a small office in another state where she spends some time, she said, “You know how expensive gas is to make that drive frequently.”

Whoops.

I still think she’s a very impressive woman, and I’d probably want to get to know her better. But that kind of statement tends to relegate you to second-class status. Successful people I know don’t bemoan gas prices, or complain about dining out, or express concern about taxes.

Someone mentioned to me during a recent practicum I conducted using a major business as our “laboratory”: “It was amazing. You introduced us as world class consultants and that’s how we were treated and heeded.”

Nothing amazing about it. It’s not just “dress for success,” it’s about behaving as though you ARE a success. Many people never give themselves that permission. When someone complains to me about Southwest Air and asks my opinion, I simply tell them that I wouldn’t know, since I don’t fly airlines without a first class cabin. If I’m asked about the price of gas, I remind people that the Europeans have been paying far higher prices for as long as I’ve been alive.

Successful people like to be around successful people, and your actions actually speak louder than your clothing and accessories. It costs virtually nothing to act successful. But you have to give yourself permission.

You may not have flown first class, and that’s fine. But when you start to brag that you saved $200 by checking fares at midnight, that’s not. You may prefer to travel in coach, and I can live with that. But if you tell someone else that they are foolish for traveling in first class, they’ll likely just think you’re a fool.

An old Roman phrase goes: De minimis non curat praetor. (The magistrate does not consider trifles.) Stop focusing on the life you think you’d have to lead, and start focusing on the one you should be leading.

People will regard you, first and foremost, by the way you regard yourself.

© Alan Weiss 2008. All rights reserved.

Comments

• April 30, 2008, Justin Beller writes: While I agree that a person's words and actions proceeds them, I wouldn't be so quick to pass judgement on people for making what seem to me as innocent comments or observations. Yes, gas prices are high - higher than what we were used to paying a year ago. I don't know what this woman does for a living. Perhaps her business involves transportation of goods or is a service business where she has to travel to the client. If that's true, higher gas prices cut in to her profit margin. Anybody with a business that is watching their overhead increase will discuss their frustrations. It's human nature and all part of operating a business. I understand your logic - act successful, feel successful and you will be successful. I subscribe to that too, but I'm not going to go broke just to impress a select group of people.
• May 1, 2008, Kevin Berchelmann writes: I never quite "get" the furor surrounding the costs of "comfort" versus "economy." It's not simply an image, in my mind, though that does play a part. It's about enjoying comfort as a reward for some pretty damned hard work I do. I earned it, I'll take it. And the part I don't "get," is it isn't the "cost" that scares people... not if they are logical in their reasoning. I was sitting on the patio, smoking a cigar and having a glass of Kelt with a good friend of mine, Andrew -- an anesthesiologist at Duke University -- and this very topic came up. Andrew went inside and brought out pen and paper. We began with assumptions: 2 flights per month, 2 family vacations per year totaling 2 weeks (yes, we take more, but it's a simple equation). We discovered, in our mathematical genius spurred by the intellect one can only get from Kelt Petra, that our desire to enjoy "comfort" versus "economy" was costing a whopping $7,800 annually. Eight grand. That's it. If someone asked you to pay $7,800 for "Year-long first-class accommodations," would you take it? Most of us would readily write that insignificant check. Too often we look at totals, not deltas. Sure, my airport town car costs about $100. A cab, however, costs $60. The delta -- the difference -- is but $40. A full-service Marriott at BWI costs $245/night. The Springfield Suites across the street, with zero amenities or comforts, costs $170. Again, the delta is insignificant, when added together annually. A mediocre meal costs $40. A great one $120 (excluding extravagant wine). Are we really making personal comfort and enjoyment decisions based on the ridiculous belief that $40 here and $80 there will somehow turn a poor financial year into a great one? Your comments, Alan, were spot on: "It costs virtually nothing to act successful. But you have to give yourself permission." It's not about the costs at all, since frankly, they are insignificant. It's about permission. Cheers, KB
• May 2, 2008, Michael Temple writes: I have to respectfully disagree with your outlook on this. I don't think the definition of success should be your ability to spend money without some common sense or thoughts of how to reduce that expense. Most business leaders will say that a good trait in business is to reduce expenses and overhead in any business so you have more profit, which many would consider true success. Ben Franklin said the two traits of success for both business and individuals was industry and frugality. I doubt anyone can argue Dr. Franklin is one of the most famous Americans to have ever lived and defines true success. Clearly frugal habits helped him achieve this by his own admission.

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There is some deep, inexorable, terrestrial alarm that awakens things around here at this time in April. The Latin “aperire” means “to open,” and that’s what’s occurring throughout my realm. (April was once the second month in the Roman calendar, but then King Pompilius added January and February and April, well, was bumped.)

Eliot called April “the cruelest month” (The Wasteland), but he was a tad of a cynic to begin with when he wasn’t dealing with cats.

As if an alarm clock sounded at a pitch only animals and plants could hear, in 24 hours this place has blossomed, bloomed, and beguiled. Thirteen goslings hatched at once, a record ten to one pair of parents (pictured here). We’ve had from one to ten baby geese at times, which is a factor of how well the parents shielded the nest and fought off raccoons, foxes, and snakes. We suspect the ten came from a strategically sound nest on an island in our pond (Maria forbids me to call it a “lake”).

Ducklings will follow. The birds are all over the feeders, and goldfinches, cardinals, and blue jays create a rainbow in the yard while avoiding the occasional hawk, who’s more intent on the squirrels. Scores of turtles have dug out of winter quarters, and they climb atop the logs and rocks in the lake, er, pond, sometimes forming crazy house-of-cards pyramids. When they are startled, the piles of turtles seem to explode into reptilian chaos. The large snapper lurks in the mud, rarely exposing himself. You can see him here, also, on one of his rare expeditions out of the water. Soon, we’ll hear the basso profundo of the frogs at night.

The evergreens have been joined by their deciduous brethren, which are filling in all the gaps and isolating our property in magnificent privacy. The tulip trees must be 60 feet tall, and I’m reminded of C. Northcote Parkinson’s observation that trees seldom die from decay or sickness or, one presumes, from sin. They die when they reach the size, weight, and duration usual for that type of tree. (The same is true of institutions and organizations.)

My gardens are planted (I’m trying watermelon this year and beets again, among peppers and carrots and radishes), the pool will open in three weeks, the lawn guys are back, and the detritus of winter has been removed.

Meanwhile, we have new generations born and being raised in the water, on land, and in the air. I didn’t hear the alarm they all did, but I’m up and ready for a new day.

© Alan Weiss 2008. All rights reserved.

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April 24, 2008
For Immediate Release

Kimberlee Wilkerson Inducted Into
Million Dollar Consultant® Hall of Fame

Kimberlee Wilkerson, president of Wilkerson Consulting Group in Cedar Rapids, IA is the newest inductee into the Million Dollar Consultant® Hall of Fame, one of only ten in the world so honored.

Criteria for election include:

• Serving as an exemplar to others in the profession.
• Manifesting the highest levels of integrity, ethics, and accountability.
• Achieving significant annual revenue and profit improvement.
• Contributing intellectual capital to the consulting profession.
• Engaging in continuing, challenging, personal and professional development.
• Taking prudent risk and demonstrating resilience.

The citation includes:
“As an example to all of us in committing herself to lifelong learning and the continual creation of new ideas to help others to grow their practices and enrich their lives, engaging her clients, colleagues, and audiences with her enthusiasm, wit, and innovation.”

The award was announced at the Million Dollar Consulting College Graduate School held at the Inn at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples, Florida, by Alan Weiss, Ph.D., who conducts a global mentoring program for consultants. Dr. Weiss himself holds multiple awards in the consulting and speaking professions, and is the author of 27 books, include Million Dollar Consulting.

At the presentation he noted, “These are the best of the best and I’m proud to cite Kim as my colleague and friend.” The installation included the notation of “…the distinction of being regarded by peers as one of the world leaders in consulting, as evidenced by empirical accomplishments in client results, professional contributions, and intellectual property.”

More details can be found on the Summit Consulting Group, Inc. web site: http://www.summitconsulting.com.

Further info and/or photos:
Alan Weiss, Ph.D.
401/884-2778
alan@summitconsulting.com

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