So, I Guess This Is Something Of A Rant…About People Who "Arrange Success" For Themselves
I’m writing about how certain people churn out mediocre content dressed in pretty packaging, with massive backing from what I’ve called "arranged networks". My decision to write this piece arose from having a flyer for one such publication handed to me about 2 weeks ago.
What was wrong with it? Well, if one were to go by the details in the well designed flyer, nothing that I could see.
In fact, the outward appearance was quite impressive, and the content well composed. Which explains why I excitedly went online to see if I could learn more about the book, and its author using the URLs provided in the LEARN MORE section..
But to my amazement, there was NOTHING on the website on that day, except for a clock counting down, with a notice that it would soon be ready!
I thought it odd that a product so well introduced in a flyer did not have a website ready BEFORE promotional activities began.
But I let it go.
Listed just below the URL for the book’s website, after all, was the author’s website address.
"There has to be at least a mention of the product on the author’s personal website" I thought.
So, off I went to the latter via another tab in Google Chrome. But alas, there was NOT even a single mention of the new book on the author’s personal website!
That was when I lost it. And I decided it was time to say something about the unhealthy trend I’d observed for a while.
This post is the product of that decision.
The truth is that certain people use their "arranged" networks to get their written works presented as the ultimate solution to "trusting" audiences. These audiences sometimes lack the ability to discern "content quality".
As a result, the mediocre writers have a field day "selling" their works. But knowing that they lack "depth", these individuals often avoid operating outside their "networks".
(NB: I just revisited the book’s website NOW, while typing this. It’s been updated to a one page offering, of essentially the same contents from the flyer. Again, the same problem of the author’s lack of depth is exposed!).
To Achieve Relevance, You Must Show Up Where The Best Are Found!
If ANYONE aspires to excel, she must be willing to do what it takes to QUALIFY to rub shoulders with those who excel (or have done so).
When the Indians wanted to step up their game in software development, they brought in the best experts from across the world. Their kids began learning programming right from primary school level.
When the USA decided it wanted to become a force to reckon with in World Soccer, she threw her doors open to the best players and coaches on the planet.
The American NBA boasts the best pro basketball players in the world, because it seeks out the best talents worldwide. Then it "develops" them into marketable assets in the league.
Nigeria’s outing in Basketball at the last Olympics was its best ever showing. And that was because over 80% of the players who represented us were either playing in the American NBA or had had stints there before moving elsewhere.
The point I’m trying to make is that those who use "arranged networks" do NOT want a level playing field. One where merit reigns, and fair/impartial opportunities to succeed are given to those aspiring to success.
What’s more, it appears there is a carefully orchestrated effort to ensure only persons who belong in their circles get acknowledged by them, and the thousands they influence.
Note however that this does not mean that the person who does not belong cannot command the attention and interest of those influenced by these people. It just means it may take him/her much longer to achieve that goal.
"Arranged Networks" Are Unhealthy For Society
What upsets me however is that through their actions, these "arranged networks", where they exist, keep society from progressing. Just because they want to stay relevant – even when they are not prepared to improve the quality they offer!
They use the access they have to financial and other resources provided, to create opportunities preferentially for their members.
Out here for instance, in Nigeria, we have so many public speaking geniuses who keep publishing works they class as best sellers, but which one cannot find people reading!
It pains me so much to see this happen so often. And that’s a key reason why I publish my weekly Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter.
I am so hungry to see authentic professional speakers from my country command the respect and attention of people from OUTSIDE Nigeria through independent evaluation of the quality of their "content", and competence. And I would really love to see such speakers get invited to speak outside Nigeria, without the involvement or intervention of ANY Nigerians or groups of Nigerians in Diaspora.
What we currently have is a situation where a group of "friends" or associates talk to others in Diaspora, to get their public speaker friend to fly to London and speak to a group of Nigerians in Diaspora – possibly with few non-Nigerian friends attending.
This was the same thing that used to happen with our musicians in the past, but has now changed. Ten years ago, or even further back, most of our musicians would say they’d gone abroad to do international shows.
The problem was that unlike ours, the Jamaican musicians got invited for real LIVE concerts in public venues to entertain truly international audiences. In contrast, our musicians often went to abroad to perform at specially arranged private parties for Nigerians in Diaspora who wanted music from home.
There were very few of them like Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the multi-instrumentalist Afro beat maestro, who regularly got invited to performed at real life international concerts to audiences across the world. Just like his 2 sons (Seun and Femi) now do.
You Cannot Give What You Do Not Have
The above is the truth about what’s happening with our public speakers here in Nigeria. I’m being brutally frank here. There’s no point being subtle about continued proliferation of poor quality works by mediocres backed by "arranged networks" of influential personalities.
These people fail to aspire for higher standards, and yet seek to dominate the industry using their network of contacts!
Like I’ve said earlier, this is one of the reasons why I continue publishing my weekly Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter : To provide an example of how passion can be used to pursue achievement of thought leadership.
I do it to help myself just as much as I do it for the readers.
Every day I publish a new issue of that newsletter, I use it to tell myself that I am BETTER off than I was a week before. Because with that new issue, I have added NEW and ORIGINAL content of my own creation, to the web, in my name.
The implication is that I have a growing wealth of content to draw from towards promoting and marketing myself as a speaker. Some of which may even prove useful for earning passive income (if I combine them into an ebook for instance).
In the meantime, since people are discovering and reading the newsletter on an international platform, I’m gradually achieving name recognition as the "Publisher of the Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter".
Final Words
To me, the above is what any professional expert worth his or her salt should do i.e. put your stuff out to impact the world, and in the process improve yourself, for the benefit of your target audience.
And that is what many authentic experts in many other parts of the world actually do. I know, because I have studied them – and interact with a number.
I do NOT see much of that happening out here.
Yet, ever so often, someone passes me a pretty flyer like the one I’ve described above, and tells me some speaking genius produced it for use in selling a masterpiece of a book on Public Speaking.
Then I visit the website for the so called product and find it BLANK!!! – once again confirming my belief that most of what they do is "arranged success".
Or how do you explain a person producing flyers for a supposedly top class product described in a sophisticated flyer, but neglecting to put up ANY content on the website for the product BEFORE going live to announce its availability?
I’m not perfect, but I’d like to think I am not that reckless in presenting my products and services.
And that’s the problem. When one offers to "teach" others, and then goes on to make such glaring omissions, it raises the question about whether s/he has truly mastered the principles s/he wishes to teach others!
There, I said it. Now it’s off my chest – and I actually feel better.
I hope you found it to be a useful read…:-)
