The Paradox of Expertise

Throughout life most people tend to look up to others who are experts in their fields – whether they are authors, speakers, leaders, athletes or some other expertise. In our minds and in our culture we value - and sometimes even revere - expertise.

For this reason it isn't surprising that most everyone strives - consciously or unconsciously - to become an expert in some area(s) of life. When you want to be an expert in your work, you strive to learn the skills and tools that will make you more successful. You probably study and passionately practice a hobby or two or other related interests with the goal at least in some part to gain knowledge and expertise.

Reaching new levels of expertise does more than satisfy your sense of self competition. It helps you create better results, achieve more in less time and, when you share your expertise, help others achieve better results as well. Plus, beyond all of these things, your expertise can give you status, promotions and higher pay.

When you think about all those ideas (and many more), it's not too surprising we want to become experts in our fields and areas of interest is it?

And yet this expertise can also get in your way . . . if you allow yourself to fall into a very seductive trap - the trap of arrival.

When you're an expert and you're in the know, it's so easy to feel like you've "arrived" and once you believe you have arrived, you run two major risks:

• You "know-it-all". If you believe you know it all, you have very little incentive to continue searching. If you're in list trap, you might not listen to people with less experience than you. You also may not be open to new ideas because of your confirmed expertise. Your habits and dedication to become an expert can create a false sense of confidence. Yet when you look at someone else's situation you realize there's always something about the topic that you don't know. But in your field you may miss that fact - after all, if you do know it all, there really isn't anything else to learn is there?
  
• You've "seen-it-all". Your expertise and experience definitely helps you greatly in diagnosing a situation and seeing patterns that others might not see. At the same time, because of your experience you may miss a subtle difference because you automatically match the situation up to the pattern "you've seen a hundred times before." Your vast experience and exposure may actually blind you to what you really need to see. You must remain open to new possibilities to make your expertise of greatest possible benefit to yourself and others.

All of this proves the wisdom of the quotation from the great basketball coach John Wooden:

"It is what we learn after we know it all that matters."

What you already know may keep you from seeing what is most important in a given situation.

That is the paradox of expertise.

You strive to gain valuable expertise and when you gain it you may fall prey to the problems that your expertise can cause.

When you approach every situation with the curiosity of a learner, you will avoid many of those problems and actually continue to grow your expert status at the same time!

Potential Pointer: As you strive to grow your expertise realize that it's a journey not a destination. Remain open to learning new things and applying new techniques. When you match your ongoing openness and curiosity with your considerable expertise, you will avoid the paradox of expertise.