Believing What Some People Say Can Hurt Your Business

I find it so interesting to note that almost everyone has an opinion about almost everything - even if they don't have information about the subject.

Families often avoid talking politics or religion at gatherings because they know that the conversation can easily become conflictual as the different perspectives are argued. In fact, most groups have topics that are either taboo or passed over quickly.

I used to jokingly say that if you had ten Social Workers in a room, you would end up with eleven opinions. (Remember, I am a Social Worker and a Registered Psychologist).

When you are the owner of a business you need to keep this in mind. Even if you do not ask for advice, there are people who will offer it to you and what they have to say may not be very wise. In fact, their advice might not be based on fact or even understanding of the specifics of your field.

Frequently I have teenagers come to me and state that they are planning to have a career that is "just like yours". The reason that they have come to see me in the first place is that they are having problems functioning in their own lives yet they truly believe that they are capable to provide therapy to others so that they can function better. These "hopefuls" are shocked when they hear that I have been in university on a part-time basis for twenty-two years (eleven and a half full-time equivalent). Their immediate reaction is that they never would want to do that. They just think that they are ready to begin right away - if they were only out of high school.

Unconscious incompetence means that you don't know what you don't know. These people don't understand that they need to have training, supervision and a functioning life of their own before they can be helpful to others.

So, when someone offers me advice, I always carefully consider where this is coming from. I do not put much weight on financial advice from someone who is poor or relationship advice from someone in the midst of a difficult divorce. Also, when an individual is quick to tell me how I should be operating my business, I think about whether they have ever run a business and if it is in the same field. It's not that I can't learn from others, it's just that I think it is important to listen more closely to those who have a successful track record in the area where the advice is being given.