We often hesitate to label ourselves as “experts” despite our backgrounds and experiences. I’m certainly guilty of it.

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This hesitation typically stems from three common mindsets:

• Tenure: “I don’t have enough experience”
• Breadth: “Other people that know more about this than me”
• Depth: “My knowledge isn’t deep enough”

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These all focus too much on ourselves and our peers, not our audience.

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Consider this formula:

To [audience], a [persona] is an expert on [domain].

Examples:

• To a CEO, a sales manager is an expert on closing customer deals.
• To a first-time visitor to London, a Londoner is an expert on riding the Tube.
• To a toddler, an older sibling is an expert on tying shoes.

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No one awards these people the title of “expert”. “Expert” status isn’t an objective title, bestowed by a governing body based on established criteria.

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Rather, it’s helpful to think of expertise as relative.

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Instead of obsessing over who knows more than you, identify what you know best and then consider who could be helped by knowing what you know.

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To break the “expert imposter” mindset, ask yourself these questions:

• "I don’t have enough experience"
  • What is “enough”? Says who?
• "Other people that know more about this than me"
  • Is there only room for one ‘master expert’ in this domain?
  • Does someone else’s expertise invalidate your own?
• "My knowledge isn't deep enough"
  • Is that true? Can you hold a conversation on the topic for 30 minutes?

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You are an expert on your domain; just figure out to whom.

💡

-Wes