Someone Stole My PowerPoint and I Like It

When I worked for Johnson & Johnson, I was charged with reviewing the “eDetailing” space and helping J&J pharma brands determine if/how they should use eDetailing. (eDetailing was a way for marketers to educate physicians without barging down their office doors with pharmaceutical reps).

This idea was not well understood by leaders who had sold professionally and were now running marketing organizations. So I create a slide that simplified the process (and showed how it differed from direct-selling and other promotion), and I was amazed at how quickly the model spread. Organizations all over J&J began using it (without crediting me of course) and eventually I saw the slide appear in external conferences and used by vendors.

I was both proud and a little frustrated that people were using it without permission or credit.

A lot has changed since then, especially in my perspective about knowledge sharing. I created this slide deck for a online-video and marketing presentation, and just discovered that via “Slideshare.com” thousands have viewed it, and more than 300 have downloaded it. I really like the idea that my ideas and examples might be popping up in schools, businesses, or in the presentation deck of some vendor at a conference.

It’s gratifying when your idea can share — even when folks wipe off your thumbprints. People come and go but ideas tend to evolve.