Why does the Internet Marketing Industry need a Leader?

Those of you who have been following the Ferny v Ann Sieg debate may have come accross the term industry guru and Leader quite a few times. In quite a few posts it's been said this whole situation about because of a lack of leadership in the industry.

My reaction to this is 'poppycock' as we say in the UK. In what other industry is there a Leader - I simply cannot think of one. There are Leaders and representative associations but not a Leader as such. Heck even Bill Gates isn't the Leader of the software industry. So in my opinion the answer to the concept the was caused because a lack of leadership in the industry is just plain wrong.

What any industry needs as it matures is a responsible and ethical code of practice that leaders sign up to. There should also be a system of arbitration within that code of practice. Had either existed then the Ferny v Ann situaton would probably not have become a potentially legal issue. Such a body could also rule on good and bad practice. It could publish a guide which marketers could then follow.

The thought of a single industry leader is actually quite scary.

Alan Keith of Genentech has said "Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen." A view is also held that to be a true leader you have to be rational. As someone who has mentored leaders in a 20,000 plus employee organisation then the idea that true leaders don't respond to the amount of criticism leveled at their organisation is bizzare.

So in conclusion I would said no we don't need an industry leader, what we need is an independent industry association that arbitrates and issues good practice that we can sign up to and become members of.

Guess what the good news is such a body exists it's called the Internet Marketing Association and it's free to join.

So I guess my advice is for all our perceived gurus and leaders to join the IMA put the logo on their products and abide by their standards. Seems reasonable to me.