On this Halloween live stream, Alan Weiss and I had a spirited chat about the “tricks” consultants fall for and the “treats” clients actually value. We riffed on wild promises vs. real outcomes, commodity work vs. initiating new value, carving people up vs. helping them grow, being a ghost vs. showing up with presence, and—my favorite—wearing masks vs. bringing the real you (including your voice, not AI slop 🙃).

Alan shared early-career scars (including a disastrous pre-digital survey project) and the simple posture that got him through: learn the lesson, then move. We also touched on the true origin of Halloween, why low self-esteem—not AI—is the scariest trend haunting consultants, and how improv rules (“yes, and…”) make you unbeatable on your feet with clients. I briefly “ghosted” the stream (perfect timing) and Alan just kept rolling—proof that intellectual firepower + humor is the ultimate treat.

Takeaways

• Don’t sell hope; sell outcomes. If you can’t deliver it, don’t promise it.
• Stop accepting commodity requests; initiate higher-value conversations.
• Grow people; don’t carve them. Change beliefs, not just behaviors.
• Show up with presence—no ghosting, no masks. Let clients meet the real you.
• Use AI as a tutor and pattern-maker, not a voice replacer. Keep your language yours.
• Confidence > credentials: you can learn fast, but be honest about limits.
• Self-esteem is the real monster under the bed. Build it; ship work; laugh often.
• “Yes, and…” beats “No, but…”—in workshops, sales calls, and life.

Quotable

• “Do you want to be tricked, or do you want a treat?” —Alan Weiss
• “AI should teach you how to fish, not hand you someone else’s fish.” —Alan Weiss

Resources & mentions

• Alan Weiss – Monday Morning Memo newsletter (QR mentioned on stream)
• “The Whale Sale” Substack (Alan Weiss & Lisa Miller)
• Improv principles (“yes, and…”) for facilitation & sales
• My “Damaged Goods” idea on treating groups as ready to grow

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