Is There an Expert In the House?

Photo by: Lisa L Peters ©

What exactly is an expert? This is a question I've pondered and researched extensively on both a professional and personal level. In a nutshell, an expert is someone who makes us feel safe and taken care of by handling aspects of our lives that we are less than comfortable with. Experts know more than we do on a given topic and can provide a really exceptional experience.

Let's start with the experience. When we look to someone to provide us with goods or services or knowledge, what we are really after is an exceptional experience. The specifics are contextual, of course. But what we want is the best of the best, on every level. All things being equal, we'd all go to the very top doctors, lawyers, stores, restaurants, etc... if we could. Why? Because the best is the best. And that promises to be - you guessed it! - the very best experience.

So, how do you position yourself as the best of the best? How do you identify your expertise and, more importantly, further develop it to the point where you are able to offer THE very best experience?

I have identified what I like to call The Earmarks of the Expert. These are qualities and attributes that every true expert I have ever encountered shares. One way to start to isolate and identify where you shine is to ask yourself where in your life these things apply most.

1. Experts focus only on what they can control: Let's cut to the chase; this means experts focus solely on themselves! No amount of energy or sheer will can ever lead to controlling anything other than that.

2. Experts master their area of expertise and stick to it: Multitasking is a total sham! You may be able to do eight things expertly...but never all at once. Going outside of your area of expertise weakens others' perceptions of you as the expert. Experts do not need to pretend to be good at anything because they know what they have mastered and they're perfectly comfortable admitting their limitations, and even referring you to other experts.

3. Experts always move towards solution: Experts don't have time to point fingers or assign blame. They aren't going to tell you what they can't do; they're too busy doing what they can. If you've truly mastered something, there's very little that can throw you off your game or paralyze you from moving forward.

4. Experts are consistent: Humans value consistency in their experts almost above anything else. Consistency makes us comfortable. It allows us to trust the expert because we always know what to expect. When an expert tells you he's going to do something, he does it!

5. Experts know that actions speak louder than words: I can spend 20 minutes apologizing and explaining what went wrong or I can fix it. Nuf said!

6. Experts never let you see the man behind the curtain: Think Wizard of Oz. Any wizard is only as powerful as the awesome perception he creates. In fact, if you make it look easy breezy, you are a really powerful wizard! No one needs to see your process. They also don't need to see the emotional ride you take while implementing it. All anyone wants from you are the results, the exceptional experience!

No one is a master of everything. And no one is perfect. We all break the above rules on a daily basis. But what I've found is that when you are in your realm, your field of expertise, you tend to stick very strictly to these guidelines. It's not even a conscious thing. No one is making you do it. It's something you naturally do when you have that sublime mastery that only an expert has.