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Recognizing an expert. Are you one?

Derek Gillette

THIS POST IS THE 3rd IN MY #PLAINPERSPECTIVES SERIES.

The goal will be to showcase a "way in which I view the world." You may agree, you may disagree, either way, I hope you are provoked to respond and share your perspective in return. There are several ways to participate:

  • Take to Twitter and use the hashtag #plainperspectives (clicking this link will open a new tweet for you). Once you tweet, it will automatically appear on this page for others to see and hopefully be provoked.

  • Hop over to Medium and highlight a section of text that especially provoked you. Leave your comment right inline and I’ll respond.

  • Or, if all else fails, leave a good ol’ fashioned comment at the bottom of this post

For this post, I’ll be sharing my perspective on recognizing an expert. My perspective will not sound like others you’ve heard. You may agree, you may disagree, either way, I hope you are provoked.

What makes someone an expert and how do we recognize one?

There’s much lament these days over what makes one an expert. Some are tired of the term completely and want to see its use reduced. Others lavish it upon themselves and their friends as a way to draw attention, sell courses, and build a following.

So how do you recognize an expert? What makes one an expert?

I will give you 10 traits.
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  1. For as far as they've come, they admit how little they know, how much there is left to learn.

  2. In simple terms, they welcome you to the subject rather than using complex terms to intimidate you with the subject.

  3. New or different ideas don't intimidate them.

  4. They share the microphone with others. Their silence in favor of other voices doesn't bother them.

  5. They don't see their work ending with a period or starting with a capital letter. Instead, they realize others have come before them and others will go beyond them. They start and end with commas.

  6. Heart and head are not seen as opposing forces.

  7. Proof and faith are not seen as opposing forces.

  8. In like manner, they realize paradoxes exist.

  9. They hold onto the ability to learn from multiple sources, including others who could be perceived as lower or less qualified than themselves.

  10. 10,000 hours to mastery doesn't burn them out, it's a starting point. And whether they ever get paid, whether they get a vacation afterward, whether they ever get recognized or rewarded for it, they would still put in their 10,000 hours because, "woe is me if I do not."

This perspective on recognizing an expert brought to you by Plain Writing

My name is Derek and I’m a freelance writer and brand strategist who is on a mission to write in an uncommon way for my clients - simple, persuasive and exact. I call it Plain Writing.

Browse my library of past writing and strategy samples.

Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WritingPlain

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