I am an online course designer -an excellent online course designer. I sell online Sexual Harassment Prevention training to corporations. I provide a demo course so people can see what they are getting. Sometimes I am contacted by a potential client and asked to view the entire course before purchasing.

So what do I say? No and lose a sale? Or yes and risk having my course ideas stolen by a competitor.  These are risks that every designer deals with.

Case in Point

I received a phone call from a company who wanted to view the entire Harassment Prevention for Supervisors course.  So of course I set it up and allowed them into the course.  After a week, I contacted them to get their response.  I was told that they were still reviewing it and discussing it with their President.  So I wait, another contact results in the same information.

Several weeks down the road, I contact them again.  Now I am told that the company decided to make their own course, and “thank you for your assistance.”   I am willing to bet that my “assistance” ended up in their course.

Integrity seems to be in short supply in this world. And I am getting tired of being the recipient of under-handed companies.