I’m Really Tired of This

People that I trained and trusted – have been using my Methods, Tools, Techniques and my Database – and claiming them as Their Proprietary Methodology. For quite a while now.

They would have had my permission to use all but the database – if they attributed all that they have stolen to me – the author. The owner.

This is regarding my CAD – Curriculum Architecture Design methodology – and as far as I know my MCD – Modular Curriculum Development methods as well.

And as it seems to be their modus operandi – they’ve probably taken my EPPI – Enterprise Process Performance Improvement methods too. They do claim to be creating the next wave of Performance Improvement Specialists – too. And they claim to be Innovators. And Thought Leaders. I could almost laugh.

Recently they’ve been marketing – and I can see that they are changing the language and imagery – so they aren’t as overt as they once were.

I’ve seen my Database outputs from some of their client work – and the similarity is remarkable – I’m kidding because the Database operates just like that.

These methods and templates are things I developed in the 1980s and early 1990s – and something I won from former business partners in the late 1990s after those business partners and I split up the business.

Prior to the legal wrangling I only owned 1/3rd of my own methods – because that’s how partnerships work. I took those Proprietary methods and templates and the Database into a new business – under a license agreement. They are still mine.

If you see these templates used without attribution – then they are being misused.

Knocking-Off the work of others speaks volumes about those doing so.

I’ve tried to give credit where credit is due. Some of my work is based on the work of Geary A. Rummler – which is why I sought his approval in 1999 before publishing my book. He gave me his approval – a marketing quote – and redesigned the cover while changing the title.

All I’ve asked for is attribution and to respect my ownership. That was obviously too much. For a few.

I know others have had this done to them. They write/post about it once in a while.

If I saw it I would draw it to their attention.

And maybe I would draw attention to it in general.

When your life’s work is taken – and used as if people acting as if they created it – claiming it to be their own proprietary methods – that is way over the top.

The worse thing about all of this – is that some of their clients knew what they were doing while they were doing it. That speaks poorly of them too.

That’s complicity.

If you know something – please let me know.

If you’d like permission to use some of my things – please let me know that too.

Please respect the work of others.

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