some advice for those who wish to be expert

Holding all the Aces

Somebody asked me how they might fulfil their ambition of becoming an expert. My advice was straightforward: being an expert in something is not always enough. If you have real ambition you need to be holding a handful of aces, not just one or two.

So why isn’t being an expert enough?

Well the world is full of experts, many of whom are well-known in their chosen fields. But for every well-known expert there are probably [at least] thousands of equally qualified but unknown experts.

Playing your cards right

By definition, an expert has expertise so the first step to becoming an expert is to have capability in your chosen field. You hold the Ace of Clubs when you can use the tools and skills with expertise.

The second step in becoming an expert is to prove your capability by demonstrating your expertise to others. When you clearly shine, you hold the Ace of Diamonds.

Expert or leading expert?

So far so good. If your ambition is simply to become an expert, then the first two aces are all you need. However, if your ambition actually is to become a leading expert, you will also need the other two aces to complete your hand.

To become a leading expert, you must share your capability with others so that you can become acknowledged, by giving leadership. However, it is not enough simply to tell people that you are an expert – you must tell them and show them. You will hold the Ace of Hearts when others truly recognise your leadership and expertise.

To complete your winning hand you will need one more thing (apart from good fortune) to become a sought-after expert.

You must make your capability needed. Unless your expertise remains relevant to the needs of others, then you will not become a properly valued expert, merely an interesting person. This means that you will have to work continuously at developing and sustaining both your expertise and your relevance. If you put in the necessary effort, you will hold the Ace of Spades.

Have I missed a trick? Please let me know how you think good people can become great experts.

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I’m a visionary, get me out of here

Phuong

Hi Mr.Beverige, I am agree with you that it is the common way to be an expert, but you forget the lobby.It is an important fact in such enviroment. The same situation is if someone don´t accept you in case of prejudice then you do not have a chance. You can not give someone your knowledge if the people do not ask you or do not tell you information and do not give you answer. Can you imagine going to a meeting day without plan? Taking part of a meeting without preparation and during the introduction yourself to partner company a dispute about your role began? The best is the diputor has the lowest rank in the group and your boss only laugh about it without any comments? Or you are sitting there by telephone conference in order to get job of central and they introduce the group without you? If you ask them then they say sorry. Next time they introduce you but they know it is a job you can not take.You prepared and made all parts of a job and wait for the sign to start the project, then suddenly other took the job and your prepared work without any comments? Or you should do a job what other does in 3-4x of this time range…All this without any acception of your knowledge or your role. In my opinion to be an leading expert you need more than only to be good and try to give your knowlege to other. The culture of a company, the environment, rules, fair play, the group are important than the knowledge and expertise itself. Expertise which can not be writen in a database because the design should not be changed, will not help by getting project because nobody know about it. Do I deliver you enough example for the opposite?
Best regards,
Rajesh Nair

Hi

Excellent frame work ! The trick is that is time a challenge comes across, the ability to pull out a straight flush each time – picking from capability, experience, ability to share the expertise and ability to sell the expertise !
http://crimih.wordpress.com Cristina Mihai

Nice piece of work Colin; one important “feature” of a leading expert or sought-after one (I’m not sure yet) is the capacity to innovate in its field. By this I mean going beyong mastering principles and techniques, and being able to unfold new angles of looking at problems, thus reshaping the way things are done in its field. Where would you put this in your frame, if anywhere?
http://marioferreira.synthasite.com Mario Luis Tavares Ferreira

Hi Colin,

Great analysis!

I would like to add one suggestion. It is related with the environment and competitors.

In a “perfect world” it is fine but expertise as a cost and nowadays with so many “truly experts” and “fake experts” you will need to have a straight flash to win the game and to be paid in your right value. So that you will be able to reinvest in knowledge and improve your expertise.

Another issue is based on the comment of Phuong which is a fact more often observed in developing countries, but not only, and it is a reality. Lobby and the lake of fair rules are common practices nowadays, that makes our activities harder and who plays with Ethics and Honesty is in an extremely disadvantage.

Great job Colin! I really appreciate read your intelligent comments and will contribute in my limited expertise and knowledge.

Cheers,

Mario Ferreira
http://www.colin-beveridge.com colinb

I believe that the quality of comments for this topic warrant both an immediate response and (perhaps) a follow-up blog article soon.

Here is my immediate feedback:

The catalyst for my blog piece was a genuine exchange with a contact, who asked me to review their personal strategy to become an expert. My response and advice was to test the nature of their ambition – to become an expert (for personal mastery of a chosen field) or actually to be perceived as an expert.

As you rightly observe the perception of expertise is often precisely that, a perception – and not always well-founded in fact.

However, my original advice did not test the contact’s expertise, merely the scope of their ambition. Because I felt that it was most important for the enquirer to understand the true nature of their ambition, one way or the other.

Consequently my blog article and linked-in discussion are intended to spawn consideration by others of the nature of *being* an expert, as opposed to *being known as* an expert.

So far my intention of provoking thought appears successful and I am extremely grateful to all those who have engaged with the topic. I genuinely believe that such free exchange of opinion adds value to all concerned.

I still strongly contend that anyone can be an expert, without necessarily seeking (or receiving) approbation from others. An expert is a person who possesses intrinsic/ acquired expertise.

Whereas a *leading* expert, by definition, can only achieve such status through demonstrating expertise and receiving acknowledgement. Leadership is always given, never taken. (oops that sounds like another topic brewing).
Neil

A great article and may I take the opportunity to comment on how much I have enjoyed your blog,

While I whole heartedly agree that there are unknown experts, I would question the necessity to prove to “others” there is a need to demonstrate ones capacity, either through personal development or achievements this could and often is performed in isolation. I agree that “leading expert” would by definition need to lead others in accomplishing their goals within the chosen area of expertise, and gaining the insights into a discipline that only training, coaching or mentoring can provide.

I would also echo Cristina Mihai comments in that there is the need to go beyond, and drive ones chosen field forward, gaining the confidence to question the rationale and actively participate with ones peers
http://www.garamchai.com/mohan Mohan

Hi Colin,
Thanks for sharing the interesting perspective. Another way of looking at playing the cards right would go back to the old Chinese saying: You may make the best candles in the world but even your neighbour wouldn’t buy them if he didn’t know about them.
Of course, there is a very thin line between subtle marketing of yourself and your ideas and blatant attempts to proclaim oneself as a “thought leader”
Grae T

Colin,

While I fully appreciate the point raised above, and can understand the need for an individual to feel suitably recognised for their ability. I think the desire to become an expert, the need to be seen as such and the fact that the initial premise was open ended (‘how do I become an expert’… in what?) all raise further questions which should be addressed first.

Your analogy above goes some way to answering the questions raised, the Aces of Clubs and Diamonds in particular resolve the issue of what and why, but I feel that you could go further with both. For instance, in addition to a capability, I believe that to become an expert in any field you must have both a natural affinity for that subject and you must enjoy it. If you do not enjoy something you will not naturally explore the boundaries of your knowledge and push them at all times.

As for the Ace of Hearts… this is an interesting one and very much dependent on the environment and sector in which you work. While I agree with comments above that leadership is given, not taken, there is perhaps more to it than just ability. Experience and maturity go some way to ensuring that some members of your peer group will look to you for guidance or advice as will, in some cases, rank and superiority. While these latter examples are not guaranteed to allow you the luxury of becoming a ‘leading expert’ they will ensure that you have the ability to show your capability and impress on others your expertise in the given area or subject.

In the end, hard work and diligence are the two most essential elements for any individual to aim for. If you work hard, and ensure that you do so to the best of your ability, then you will excel at what you do. Over time your colleagues will turn to you for help and, provided you treat them with integrity and fairness your reputation will grow.

In my opinion, being classed as an expert in any field is all well and good, but the day you class yourself as a ‘leading expert’ is the day you stop working towards that goal, and the day you lose the edge you need to succeed.

Holding all the Aces is a great place to be, but only if you’re playing with others!
http://www.colin-beveridge.com colinb

Absolutely great feedback for this piece. I would just like to throw in a further point for consideration:

For those slightly uncomfortable with the concept of a “leading” expert, please consider the value/ motivation of an expert giving valuable thought-leadership to others, in order that the field of expertise may benefit from reflection and further development, rather than simply to massage the ego of the “leading” expert.

Am I placing too much confidence in altruism?
Wally

Very nice work Colin.
I think you can flush out the Ace of Hearts a little more. Under sharing your capability, you said, “it is not enough simply to tell people that you are an expert – you must tell them and show them.”
I hope I can influence you to modify this a little bit. It is not enough to share your capability but you must also teach them. You must give back to your profession. Could anyone really claim to hold all the aces without the capability of giving back and helping others on their journey to become experts too?
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http://www.fallingblossoms.com Bob Marshall

Don’t forget the Joker. Everyone can use a joker or two. In fact, most famous “experts” acknowledge the role of sheer, blind, dumb luck in their success.

Merry Xmas!

- Bob (@flowchainsensei)
http://www.dash-coaching.co.uk David Shindler

Great stuff, Colin! I particularly liked the cards idea. Not sure which card this fits but I think ‘confidence’ is a key aspect of being an expert that is the equal partner to capability. Confidence in yourself and how you present to the market, your service or product and your audience’s confidence in you so they want to join you – like you’ve achieved with me in joining in this discussion. The Ace of Clubs?

Happy Christmas!
David

TroubleShooter

Holding all the Aces