Will The Real Expert Please Stand Up
Posted on December 6, 2007
There is an interesting conversation going on around the idea of being an expert, check these posts here, here and here. There are many questions and there are really no cut and dry answers. Lately, I have seen it more and more, someone has a self-given title of “Social Media Expert” or “XYZ Expert” and don’t forget the good ‘ol days, back in 1998-1999, we had “Y2K” experts. I wondered at that time how they became an expert. Michael Bailey has this to say:
Not too long ago the year 2000 came and went. For those who remember, there were a number of “Y2K Experts” who either told us the world was going to end or that things will be alright. No matter what side of the fence they were on, there were plenty of people who would agree with them - after all, they were the Y2K Expert(s). I found that really funny, since the year 2000 had never happened before, but somehow the media was able to find experts on the subject.
Justin Kownacki looks at social media this way:
There’s nothing involved in social media that isn’t already obvious to the average person. There’s nothing awe-inspiring about aggregating followers, spreading a message or spurring individuals to action. We like to think there is but, truth be told, humans have been doing that since the Stone Age.
And, in that sense: what makes one of us more of an “expert” at communicating than others?
Is it the amount of MONEY a person makes from communicating?
Is it the size of one’s LEGION of followers?
Is it the POWER one wields as a by-product of communicating?
Chris Brogan shares about a book by David Maister called Strategy and the Fat Smoker:
David points out that labeling one’s self an “expert” is sending the signal that the expert is in control, that they are to be heeded above all else, and that the client needs the expert to complete the transaction.
Maister goes on to say that an Advisor, on the other hand, is someone in a relationship with the client, who wants to offer opinions based on their experience, but with an added level of give and take and conversation into the mix. An expert, inMaister’s parlance, was someone seeking a one night stand, where an advisor was someone looking for romance.
Here’s my thought process, in the past, I’ve thought the goal is to be an expert at whatever, but I always hesitate to call myself an expert at anything. It just never felt right. There are people that know more than I do, but I know what I know and I’ll share what I know.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned that it’s really all about relationships. You don’t win people’s trust, whether it has to do with business or ministry or leading someone to Christ, without the relationship. The relationship comes first, then the knowledge is transferred and the sale is closed, so to speak.
Kownacki points out that there is nothing in social media that isn’t already obvious to the average person. That is so true and I think social media will continue to expand as we, who are out here already, continue to educate and lead others who don’t quite get it yet or are not even aware of it yet, into this social world, through relationships.
Like Brogan, I am not an expert, I am an advisor. I’ll walk with you and listen and share and along the way, I might teach you or you might teach me, probably a little of both. In the end, we’ll both be better off, smarter, enlightened, challenged and stronger.
The question that remains for me is how to turn this social media world into a full time gig? Anyone have the answer?
I’m listening.
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5 Responses to “Will The Real Expert Please Stand Up”
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Interesting how these things come about, eh? Glad you’re part of the conversation.
Jim, Like you I set out to help people. The ins and outs of blogging seemed inherently obvious to me so I figured they were for everyone else. I did a lot of work for free to help folks.
Trouble is it really isn’t obvious to most folks. Even the wonderfully user friendly open source tools available are still daunting to most first time users. I’ve spent years learning this stuff.
I tell my clients they can teach themselves everything I know. Or, instead of making a couple years worth of mistakes they can pay me to help them get started.
It’s a good deal for them because they save money in the long run. Paying me is cheaper than making the mistakes when they’ve got a business to run.
Does that make me an expert? I don’t know. But so far my clients are happy.
Jim,
For a really frightening view on who the expert is now, check out Andrew Keen’s “The Cult of the Amateur: How today’s internet is killing our culture”. He describes how the new expert is actually the amateur. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but he makes good observations. Definitely worth reading. It’s also interesting that the author is actually a silicon valley insider who started audiocafe.com.
You don’t label yourself as an expert, but you prove that you are either astonishingly knowledgeable, passionate, or more persistent than the others.
Social Media world as a full-time gig? There are so many wide-open spaces that it is almost frightening. Only problem is everyone who knows how to make use of it are in the tech/internet/marketing fields.
Don’t be afraid to go out there and “get it” though. There will always be someone that knows more so don’t use that as a limitation. Even “experts” have mentors.
Good word. I’m hesitant of anyone who calls their self an expert. Like you said, we can offer help and share what we’ve learned, but we’ve all got so far to go and so much more to learn.