Be Cautious Of These Personality Types
Eben Pagan identifies three dangerous personality types in business: smooth talkers who can't execute, professional service providers who inflate costs, and 'sticky people' who create dependencies. He shares specific strategies to protect yourself including demanding fixed budgets from consultants and pairing smooth talkers with organizers.
Key Moments
How to Protect Your Business from Dangerous Personality Types -- A systematic approach to identifying and managing three types of people who can damage your business
One in 31 People Are Under Legal Supervision
One in 31 people are under legal system supervision, requiring vigilance in business relationships
▶ 5:50
Professional Service Firms Sell Hours Not Loyalty
Professional service firms will switch sides after a lawsuit ends because their business model is hourly billing, not loyalty
▶ 4:02
Demand Fixed Budgets from Professional Service Firms
Demand fixed budgets from professional service firms and be a bulldog about cost estimates
▶ 2:49
Smooth Talkers Are Typically Poor Executors
Smooth talkers are typically poor executors despite their impressive communication abilities and system design skills
Watch for Sticky People Who Build Political Systems Around Themselves
Watch for 'sticky people' who build political systems and create dependencies that make them difficult to remove
Relevant Clips26
- How-To
How to Protect Your Business from Dangerous Personality Types -- A systematic approach to identifying and managing three types of people who can damage your business
- Teaching
Why Consultants Talk and Expect You to Execute
Consultants and advisors are typically smooth talkers who expect you to implement their ideas rather than executing themselves
- Teaching▶ 4:02
Professional Service Firms Sell Hours Not Loyalty
Professional service firms will switch sides after a lawsuit ends because their business model is hourly billing, not loyalty
- Teaching
Smooth Talkers Are Typically Poor Executors
Smooth talkers are typically poor executors despite their impressive communication abilities and system design skills
- Teaching
Watch for Sticky People Who Build Political Systems Around Themselves
Watch for 'sticky people' who build political systems and create dependencies that make them difficult to remove
- Teaching
Investigate Weird Signals With New Team Members Immediately
Investigate immediately when sensing anything weird with new team members to prevent major problems
- Teaching▶ 5:50
One in 31 People Are Under Legal Supervision
One in 31 people are under legal system supervision, requiring vigilance in business relationships
- Teaching
Don't Spend on Legal Protection Before You've Validated the Idea
Avoid premature trademarking and legal protection unless you have a proven blockbuster idea
- Teaching▶ 2:49
Demand Fixed Budgets from Professional Service Firms
Demand fixed budgets from professional service firms and be a bulldog about cost estimates
- Teaching
Pairing Smooth Talkers with Organizers for Execution
Pair smooth talkers with organizers to ensure execution and results delivery
- Answer
The 4 Keys of Marketing Success and Why Order Matters
Sticky people are smooth talkers who build political systems and create black boxes that only they understand. They become dangerous because they make themselves indispensable by controlling critical systems, making removal difficult once problems are discovered.
- Answer
How to Spot the Smooth Talker Who Will Never Execute
Look for people with extra polish and charisma who seem way too together. They excel at drawing beautiful system diagrams and describing architectures but consistently fail to execute over 6-12 month periods.
Show 14 more
- Answer
Only Trademark After You've Proven the Concept Makes Sales
No, only invest in trademarking after you've thoroughly tested your idea and proven it's a blockbuster. Don't spend thousands on legal protection before you've validated your concept and made sales.
- Answer
Demand Fixed Budgets and Refuse to Start Without Cost Projections
Demand fixed budgets upfront and refuse to work with firms that won't project costs. Be a bulldog about estimates and require notification before any additional charges beyond the agreed amount.
- Answer
Pair Visionaries With Organizers to Get Results
Pair them with an organizer who can keep their eye on them and ensure results. This can be through direct reporting, partnership, or support arrangements to make sure actual work gets completed.
- Answer
Investigate Red Flags Immediately — Don't Wait and Hope They Pass
Investigate immediately and spend extra time working on any weird situations. Don't ignore warning signs as they can lead to serious problems like theft or fraud.
- Quotable▶ 1:10
Watching Their Mouth Instead of Their Work: The Hiring Blind Spot
I have been thinking that this has been working the whole time because I've been watching their mouth and not their work
- Quotable▶ 5:53
There Are People Out There Ready to Eat Your Business Lunch
we all got to watch our asses in business because there are a lot of people out there that want to eat our lunch
- Quotable▶ 3:10
No Cost Projection Means No Deal
unless you can project how much it's going to cost then we probably can't do business
- Quotable▶ 0:20
Smooth Talkers Are Rarely Smooth Doers
smooth talkers usually aren't smooth doers
- Question▶ 2:37
Identifying the Smooth Talker Who Can't Deliver
How can you tell if someone is a smooth talker who won't deliver results?
- Question▶ 4:42
Don't Trademark Until You Have a Proven Blockbuster Idea
Should you trademark your business name immediately when starting?
- Question▶ 1:24
Smooth Talker Hired — Who Must You Also Bring In
What should you do if you hire a smooth talker for your business?
- Question▶ 7:50
What Are Sticky People and Why They're Dangerous to Your Business
What are sticky people in business and why are they dangerous?
- Question▶ 2:51
How to Stop Consultants From Running Up Unlimited Charges
How do you prevent consultants from overcharging on projects?
- Question
How to Handle Red Flags With New Employees Before They Become Problems
How should you handle red flags with new employees?
Entities Touched
Concepts
Questions
Canonical Teachings
Summary
The Smooth Talker Problem: When Communication Skills Mask Poor Execution
Eben identifies the first dangerous personality type: smooth talkers who excel at describing systems and creating impressive presentations but consistently fail to deliver results. He provides the memorable phrase 'smooth talkers usually aren't smooth doers' and explains how entrepreneurs get mesmerized by their communication abilities while ignoring actual performance.
Managing Professional Service Providers: The Cost Control Challenge
The discussion shifts to consultants and professional service firms who operate on hourly billing models. Eben shares specific strategies for demanding fixed budgets and explains why these providers will even work for your opponents after representing you, using attorney firms as a prime example.
Sticky People: The Most Dangerous Business Threat
Eben warns about 'sticky people' who create political systems and dependencies that make them difficult to remove once problems are discovered. He shares a cautionary tale about an employee who went on a $30,000 shopping spree with company checks, emphasizing the need to investigate red flags immediately.
Counterpoint
Claim: “Eloquent speakers with polished communication skills are the best hires for getting results”
Reframe: Smooth talkers are usually poor executors who excel at describing systems but fail at implementation
Pagan's phrase 'smooth talkers usually aren't smooth doers' and observation that they create beautiful architectural drawings but deliver no results over 6-12 months
Claim: “Professional service firms are loyal partners who work in your best interests”
Reframe: Professional service firms operate on hourly billing models and will work for your opponents immediately after representing you
Allan's observation that attorney firms will take cases from former opponents 'as soon as that lawsuit is over' because 'that's their model'
Claim: “You should immediately protect your business name and ideas with trademarks and patents”
Reframe: Only invest in legal protection after thoroughly testing and proving your idea is a blockbuster
Example of entrepreneur spending $27,000 on trademarking 'before selling anything' when they haven't proven the concept works
Topics
Coaching Strategies
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes