The Gulf Coast Florida town where I live is world famous for fishing. People from all over the world come here to fish 300 miles of mangrove coasts teeming with everything from grouper to tarpon. The very rich and the very famous jet in for a few days of pleasure fishing - joining the not so rich and not so famous - all fishing the same waters.

Normally, these two groups of widely diverse people wouldn't gather together socially. But when it comes to fishing, things are different. When you're out on the waters with a group of others fishing, your social or economic background doesn't matter. The person who catches the first fish, the biggest fish, or the most fish, is going to be one the crowd will want to cozy up to.

They'll ask the successful fisherperson questions about his baits, about his lines, and about his technique (does he flip the rod or does he swirl it?) His advice is listened to as if he were king of the world - because when it comes to fishing, the only advice that is worthwhile is advice from someone who is actually catching fish at the moment. He is the 'model of success' that other fisherpeople will seek out.

Same is true in product development. If you can find someone who has recently succeeded at what you want to accomplish, and if you follow the same general steps they took, you significantly increase your chances of success.

That's why it pays to learn who is really catching the fish - and then use the same bait - whether you are fishing or developing products.