Becoming an Expert
By Kari Wilhelm
Once early on in my career, I realized I was considered an “expert” on a topic when someone referred me back to myself for more information!
I was researching how to build a web application that would serve as a reference implementation for my company. I wanted to be thorough, so I sought out experts who could help me with the gaps I had. Near the end of the day, someone told me, “I’m not sure, but I’ve heard so-and-so is the expert on that topic for our organization.” They were unknowingly referring to me.
In the moment I was pretty surprised (who, me??)—despite my open questions, I realized I had a lot of answers that others needed and had essentially built up that level of knowledge without even realizing it. That’s the thing—it’s not that you wake up one morning and feel more enlightened; instead you can measure this by how much value you provide with answers and direction that other people need.
I often see people shy away when they are recognized for having expertise to share, afraid that they will fail at it because they still don’t know enough.
Being considered an “expert” doesn’t mean you actually know everything. An “expert” is someone with deep knowledge and skill in a topic, able to solve complex problems and add value with their guidance.
Importantly, they are also aware of what they don’t know and are committed to continuous learning.
Recognizing Your Expertise
Maybe you’re the main point of contact for your team’s tech stack, or you have in-depth expertise on how to use a technology across a broad set of applications, or you have been solving problems of a particular nature over time and have built up strong well-founded intuition that helps other people too.
Take a moment to recognize where you’re already an authority and have knowledge that is beneficial to others. The fact that you’re still learning and aware of your gaps is a testament to how much you truly know.
If you look at it this way right now, what could you say you have some great expertise on?