First Church of Dave Ramsey

Today I attended Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership, a one-day seminar billed as "the ultimate business leadership event."

Cost was $97 and the event was held at The People's Church, a big ass "megachurch" located outside of Nashville. It was so large, when I first saw it from the highway, I thought it was a shopping mall.

I've been to dozens of business and marketing events over the years. I've also read HUNDREDS of books on marketing, money mindset, management, building a business, entrepreneurship, and goal-setting, so I have feel I'm in a pretty good spot to speak on the quality of an event like this.

EntreLeadership is definitely not "the ultimate business leadership event." There was no discussion about any of the ideas presented and very limited insight into the information given. The presentations were spoon-fed to the audience via PowerPoint and a workbook that was little more than sentences with missing words.

For example... "Your capacity, intelligence, education, character, ability, and _________ are limiting your organization."

The answer is VISION.  

It's good information, but it's probably nothing you haven't already heard since it's taken from John Maxwell. The difference when it's actually delivered by John Maxwell though, is that he has more to say on the subject, which will help you to understand where he's coming from and put the information to use in your business. With Dave, you just have to take his word for it, because Dave Ramsey knows best. 

I found the entire seminar to be this way. Opinions from the "black and white" world of Dave Ramsey, presented as fact...

For example... If you work for Dave and cheat on your wife or have another "morality" issue in your personal life, you're fired. The reason behind your action doesn't matter. It also doesn't matter if you're a good employee or if what you've done has affected your work in a negative way.

To me, that's not leadership and letting somebody go without question certainly doesn't open up the very obvious opportunity to help somebody to better themselves, which is what Dave claims is part of his "ministry."  It also goes directly against his advice to "Make all errors on the side of giving too much grace, which is what you would want."

Dave says, as a leader, you need to be teachable. I agree. So why does he refuse "exit interviews" with employees who are fired or move on? To me, that seems like a good way to learn something.

It was this kind of attitude that summed up the entire event for me.

I'm sure a Dave Ramsey event on "Financial Peace" that deals with people in crisis, who are in such pain that they need somebody to come in and tell them exactly what to do in order to get out of a bad money situation is great. But that doesn't work here...

Entrepreneurs don't need to be told exactly what to do. What we need is discussion to help us figure things out for ourselves. 

Comments

[Evan]

Thanks. If you would like to do more reviews (of books as well as this kind of thing) that'd be great. There is just so much stuff out there.

[Trevor]

Dave Ramsey should stick to teaching people about money management and how to get out of debt. While he's built a business selling his money-related products, that doesn't necessarily make him an expert on teaching entrepreneurs. Thanks for the review of the event.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=569345377]

I'm surprised Dave refuses exit interviews. That wasn't the case 5 years ago when I left Lampo. I had a nearly hour-long interview with the VP of one of the three divisions at Lampo. And not my division, but another VP, so I would feel more comfortable speaking freely. I thought the interview was great and it seemed like I gave them very good, actionable feedback.