You definitely do not want another manual right? There is a lot of value in sticking to your core strengths in business.

Its only when you sit back and look at something from a distance, things become clearer. 6 Months ago I spent a couple of months putting together a comprehensive training for a bunch of people. I wont share the details of the training as its still private and was for a client in a completely unrelated niche.

 

Anyhoo, the training consisted of 4 webinars each one over an hour long. We had approximately 90 people on each session and each had payed for the privilege of being there.

So, 6 months later I did a final check on who, out of the people who attended, had actually implemented the training they had received. You wont be too surprised when I tell you that it was a tiny fraction.

Initially I was disappointed that so many people had failed to implement what had been taught. After reflection and a little research Im coming to a different conclusion.. Its the normal de facto for the vast majority, and I don't believe anyone is immune.

Distraction is all around, everyday, especially working on the .net. There is always the inbox 'plinking' away and its all so easy to get carried off into time sucking oblivion. Damn those dancing babies, and Cinnamon Challenge!!!.

Getting Serious Now
I think 'training' products, manuals, how to's and a lot of the 'stuff' thats freely available on the internet is a very large Time Suck! A distraction that is, for the vast majority of business owners, something that may well make them feel like they are making progress, but in fact, is just taking up their time, mental energy and willpower.
Whats really going on is they are being 'distracted' distracted from where there passion lies, if its running a restaurant, or running a large catering business, then that is where they should be spending their time.

I recently wrote about paying a professional rather than doing a job yourself. What could take a few hours for a professional, could take weeks for someone like me and you.

Short Story...

In another life I owned a small building company, one of our contractors failed to show ( a plasterer ) and I had a go, I mean how hard could it possibly be to slap some mud on a wall? As it happens its pretty easy to get it onto the wall, the hard bit was getting the bugger flat!.

Now I could buy the book, go on a course, buy all the tools. I could practice at home,

If I really wanted to learn, If it was something I wanted to do, something I was passionate about, then what I should probably do is find someone to do it with me. Someone who is good at what I want to learn a professional!

I can copy their technique and they can critique me as I go along. This style of learning is brilliant for learning a skill or trade.
Its very hard to learn how to plaster a wall, from a book!
Where the real opportunity lies..

For reading this far into this post Im going to reward you with an insight!

If your selling training, books or information, if your a consultant.. Its not the 'how to' you should be selling, rather, the lets do it together or better yet the ill do it for you.

If you have a 'magic button', a team of professionals that carry out the task I'm not competent to carry out, I'll use that and I think many business owners will agree that learning a new skill from scratch is not the best use of their time.

Its far more productive to concentrate your efforts where you are already excelling. Paddling in 'waters new' often lead to a mediocre performance that ultimately delivers less results.

Mark