The "Get Motivated" Seminar is a Scam!

[M.D. Holloway]

I attended the "Get Motivated" seminar in Dallas - not that I needed it but the whole office went and it was a day out of the grind. Heard Rick Beluzzo of Quantum (ex-Microsoft), Zig Ziegler, Tom Hopkins, Rudy Guiliannie (sp), Joe Montana, Jerry Lewis and Gen Tommy Franks. These were the headliners and frankly were pretty dry and boring.

Then they had a few scam artists pitching investment software(Phil Town) and real estate software and "training" (James Smith). These guys made my skin crawl. I would physically hurt them in ways that would land me in jail. Typical get rich quick junk that only makes the presenter rich. I couldn't believe the amount of people lined up with credit cards - $695 a whack! Idiots! The stuf they were selling is all free to the public! And these were "smart" people (or so I thought) shelling out the cash. Idiots!

The whole thing was put on by a shark named Peter Lowe - good discription cuz this guy was as low as you could go. He even got into this Christian rant - I felt like I was in a Southern Baptist service or a Born Again deal - not the place for this stuff if you ask me!

None of the stuff covered by any of them was anything new - mostly rehased Dale Carnigie stuff. The jokes were flat - basically the whole thing was a big waste. Do not waste your time.

At least I got a free lunch from the company out of it - then again, there are no free lunches are there...

[bryanthompson]

I have Joe Montana's autograph on an old 49ers card...

That's about all I have. I don't think a seminar is going to get half of the lazyasses to get motivated for more than a day or two.

Think about the audience that they're trying to attract... people who aren't motivated and feel like they need to go to a seminar to fix it. OR their employer thinks it'll help company morale. Either way, the people probably don't want to go... they aren't motivated to go in the first place... if they were, they wouldn't need to go

[legion]

I took that Franklin-Covey class a few years back. (The one about how to use your overpriced Franklin-Covey day planner.) As soon as they got to the part about how being more organized will lead to "inner peace", I realized I wasn't in a time-management class, I was in what amounted to a secular religious class. I shut my brain off at that point. My day planner is still sitting in my desk as I got a PDA shortly afterwards (no indoctrination class to use it). What a load of crap!

Bryan, I was a Finance major in college and we had a saying: "If you've got a good investment scheme, you use it to get rich. If you have a bad investment scheme, you sell it to someone else."

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by legion
What a load of crap!

Bryan, I was a Finance major in college and we had a saying: "If you've got a good investment scheme, you use it to get rich. If you have a bad investment scheme, you sell it to someone else."

.
Yeah, and @ 3:00 a.m. on infomercials when we working US citizens/taxpayers/investors are resting up for the dread of life's challenges.
.
Amazing how much energy one must apply to being vigilant in this life...to finding the truth under the pile of lies/deceit. We're surrounded by cons - on both sides of the political aisle, as well. (political viewpoint, there)
.
How about a seminar on how to tell who's lying to whom...on ferreting out the truth in this life. That would sell, methinks.

[M.D. Holloway]

You were reading my mind! I have actually published articles on the subject in terms of how to select a grease or gear oil or engine oil based on real world facts and not marketing spin or myths. I am even presenting a paper at the STLE on de-bunking various myths in the lubricating grease world. Not as fascinating as the world of investments or real estate but it has it's momnets none the less.

I wanted to rush the stage and scream "Your a fake and if you allow me 5 minuets to explain my position the crowd will tar and feature you!"

[bryanthompson]

Wow, you really are the LubeMaster

[stevepaa]

Usually in the technical world, I have had bosses who would never stand for BS. If you ever tried to load some, you might as well look for some other job. Most of us engineers are anal retentive by nature.

[KevinP73]

I think it's our desire to escape the rat race that makes us too willing to become victims of these get rich quick scams. I think I've bought into just about every late night infomercial that has ever been made. I was recently re-introduced to a book/concept/plan that makes a lot of sense. The book is Rich Dad Poor Dad . I found it very enlightening. I have NO affiliation with the author or publisher and have nothing to gain from sharing. Although I'm not rich or independently wealthy yet this book has made an improvement in my life in a very short time. Of course your experience may vary.

[911pcars]

I think that's the same tour group that swung by So Cal a few months ago. In that entourage, one of the speakers was Jessica Lynch, our Iraq military poster girl. I wonder what she had to say?

I figure they earn some cool megabucks on the tour.

Sherwood

[M.D. Holloway]

The amazing thing is that I will almost garuntee that there were managers and engineers in the line with credit cards ready. These guys were good at the spin and manipulation - their story was compelling and what made the arguement was the fact they were sandwiched in between credible guys like Zig, Joe, Rudy and Tommy. Made you think it was legit when it fact it was *****.

The reasons why my boss and the rest of us went to this thing was to 1) get a "legit" day away and 2) hear what the leaders in sales and leadership skills had to say (made us all relize that we are spot on and then some!), and 3) se Joe, Rudy and Tommy at no charge.

I should have doen a web search on this to see if it was really any good. If I read my on thread I would have never attended.

[Dantilla]

I attended a Peter Lowe seminar a few years back, and overall, came away pleased.

Like any seminar, you know going in that most of it will be nothing new. Most likely pretty boring. But there were a few tidbits between the fluff that made it worthwhile. But I agree, most of it is rehashed Dale Carnagie. Nice to have a reminder now and then, though.

My general rule about seminars:

50% is stuff you've heard before
40% is absolutly boring
10% was what I came for. Just a few good new ideas that I like.

Fortunately, I'm very good at entertaining myself during the boring parts. And I'm not afraid to leave if I'm getting nothing. Nice to be self-employed.

The Peter Lowe seminar was worth it to hear Colin Powell. That was back when no one could figure out if he was a (R) or (D). That guy has a great head on his shoulders, has great common sense, and had equal critisism for both sides of the isle. Zig Ziggler is pretty entertaining, too.

[ronin]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
"Your a fake and if you allow me 5 minuets to explain my position the crowd will tar and feature you!"

is that featuring, as in some cheesy R&B video? oh, you said minuet. a classical fan...

[M.D. Holloway]

i really do need to spell check my stuf don't i? (wise a$$!)

[ronin]

I gotta tell ya, I'm a hawk for that stuff. some people find enjoyment in the strangest things

[M.D. Holloway]

cant help it, i get on a rant and my figers are flying and i'm laughing like a mad man and spit is drippin out the corners of my mouth and small children are screaming and dogs are barking and my coffee gets spilled all over my keyboard8weigkfk eikwigmv htrh

[Overpaid Slacker]

well, mike, evidently the seminar did motivate you ...

JP

[M.D. Holloway]

agh! they got to me too - the last hope of Northeast scholarship in the Loan Star State! Only thing left to do is eigther drink myself silly or poke a pen up my nose for a self-lobotomy...think I'll opt for the first.

[azasadny]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine paying good money to hear a bunch of "celebrities" tell me what I should already know. These "motivational" speech tours are revolting! Another way for the fading celebrities to make a quick buck from the sheeple...

[cstreit]

Guiliane is pretty much a whore for hire now. For a good chunk of dough he goes around "motivating" employees at other companies.

Speaking of bad seminars two years ago my company brought in the "Karass" method of negotiating team to our Sales Kickoff. What a huge steaming pile they were. Clearly the presenters were reading off the slides, had very little real expereience and as a result of the 150 people that started int he session, there were maybe 20 left by the time the presenter finished.

I'll share with you one of their best tips...This ones free... "WHen negotiating a contract, start high and work down."

REALLLY?!?!

[ronin]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
the Loan Star State!

ah yes, Texas: financiers to the world

sorry, I just can't help it