What Is A Guru?

July 3rd, 2013 by Diane Conklin under Business - General, Business coaching/mentors. No Comments.

More and more, people are going to school and getting degrees, and learning new things.  Now, there’s no doubt they may be able to teach you something you didn’t already know, but does that automatically make them a guru?

This is a question that comes up a lot in marketing and business.  What makes a guru anyway?  What qualifies somebody to be your mentor or coach…or do they need any special qualifications at all?

Honestly, it can depend on who you talk to.  Some people look at the credentials of the guru, or expert, as their marketing or business background, maybe the school they went to, and whether or not they hold an MBA in marketing.

Those kinds of credentials are great, but a real guru/coach/mentor practices what they preach.  In fact, when you work with a real guru, you should be thinking G-U-R-U…gee, you are you!

It’s can be relatively easy for someone to tell you how to use social networking, set privacy settings, how to post content, and give you other marketing and business advice on properly using social media to make money in your business.  But, what happens when you notice that they haven’t actually used their own social media platforms in a week, or a month or more?  They’re not practicing what they preach.

The question becomes, and you have to answer this for yourself, do you want to take advice from somebody who isn’t following their own advice.

The point is to start looking at your support a little more realistically.  If you’re hiring someone to do your marketing, or taking tips from someone based on the headline “12 million Dollars in 12 Days,” or “Instant Marketing Guru,” be a little critical, a little skeptical, and use your critical thinking skills.

Obviously, the person is trying to catch your attention with the headline, but you have to ask yourself if what they’re promising is realistic or not.

The point is simple.  Know who you’re working with, who you’re learning from, who you’re studying or coaching with.  Those are your hard earned dollars being put into those investments.  If who you’re learning from or working with isn’t practicing the very things they’re telling you will work, then it’s time to reconsider that investment.

A guru isn’t a larger than life personality who yells louder than the next guy or gal.  A true mentor/coach/guru is somebody who is walking the walk, not just talking the talk…they are the person who is working in and on their businesses everyday – or who did for a lot of years and is now teaching those concepts to others.

So, don’t go looking for a guru – go out and find somebody you resonate with, that you relate to and who has the experience you’re looking for to work with and learn from.

That’s the person you’re looking for anyway.