Topic Overview
Being an expert in your field may come with esteem and
accolades from your colleagues. However, it can also set you up for failure if
you’re relying on what you know instead of being willing to grow. Find out how
to avoid the pitfalls here.
The Expertise Trap
Natasha won two awards for her marketing work on an
international campaign for a new candy bar. When her organization was launching
another sweet snack, they turned to her because of her success and expertise in
the market. She was thrilled to lead the new campaign and knew her playbook for
her past success would make this launch a slam dunk.
Months after the launch, the new snack campaign was falling
flat with sales lower than estimated. She was dejected and couldn’t figure out
what went wrong. But her teammates had a few ideas.
Whenever they would suggest an adaptation, however, Natasha
would dismiss it and stick to what she knew. She wouldn’t follow the market
research which suggested the audience for the new product would be different
than the past product. Plus, she didn’t listen to her colleagues in other
countries to consider cultural differences. She believed her past success would
easily translate, but she was fooled by her own expertise.
The Problem with Know-how
Sydney Finkelstein, a professor of
management at Dartmouth College, calls Natasha’s type of overconfidence “the
expertise trap.” It’s when a person’s deep knowledge and experience leave them
incurious and vulnerable.
What
happens when we fall into the expertise trap?
a narrowing of
our outlook
a reluctance to admit
mistakes or failings
a distancing from those who
aren’t at our expert level
Falling into the expertise trap may stop us from growing, and make it harder
for our colleagues to like or trust us, says Finklestein. And personally, our
own expertise can leave us feeling unhappy, unsatisfied, and stuck, despite how
hard we worked to obtain it.
9 Red
Flags You’re in the Expertise Trap
Did Natasha’s story give you a
decidedly unpleasant feeling in your gut? Ask yourself if any of these
statements ring true:
You’ve fallen into
a creative rut.
You feel old and
out of touch with your job.
You notice that
others seem uncomfortable challenging your assumptions and ideas.
You get surprised
by developments in your field.
You’re unfamiliar
with new technologies or approaches.
Your mindset is
“because we’ve always done it that way.”
You make decisions
based on risk factors, not opportunities gained.
You propose the
same strategies and tactics for new challenges.
You focus on
fixing old solutions versus pioneering new ones.
One way to get out
of the expertise trap may be to think like a consultant, says Corey Phelps,
dean and Fred E. Brown Chair, Michael F. Price College of Business,
University of Oklahoma. Consultants must have an open mind to succeed. They
don’t pay attention to political and financial issues within the companies
that hire them or have vested interests in their recommendations. They
challenge other people’s ideas, thoughts, and beliefs.
Reflect: Think
about the nine red flags. Did any of them feel familiar to you? How can you
shift your thinking to consider new approaches to your old way of doing things?
Show What You Know
Top of Form
Which
of the following happens when you fall into the expertise trap, according to
the text?
Others may feel uncomfortable challenging your ideas.
You may focus on fixing old solutions.
You may feel unsatisfied in your work.
all of the above
Correct!
Explanation:
When you are in the expertise trap, many things might happen that stop you from
growing and learning.
Bottom of Form
An Expert with a
Beginner’s Mind
It’s easy to believe that as an expert, you know everything
you need to know and don’t have the time (or inclination) to learn anything
new. After all, you are an expert.
However, the key to staying an expert is
to be humble, keep an open mind, and continuously learn.
Here are a few tips for doing just that from Dartmouth
professor, Sydney Finkelstein:
Check
Your Ego
Spotlight others’
accomplishments instead of your own. Don’t take credit for every success.
Listen to your team members instead of telling them what to do.
Revisit Your Assumptions
At the start of a
new assignment, write down your assumptions about the project. Then go
through and challenge each of them and decide which are valid and should be
kept.
Leave Your Ivory Tower
It’s easy to think
you don’t need to learn anything else, but that’s dangerous. Set aside time
monthly to reflect on what you’ve learned from your teammates. Continuously
ask them open-ended questions so they give you their thoughts and opinions.
Encourage them to challenge your thinking and give you feedback.
Learn from Newbies
Create
opportunities for junior colleagues to present on issues or topics they feel
are important. This not only gives them an opportunity to become more engaged
in their work, but it helps you learn new trends or technologies.
Diversify Your Roster
When you surround
yourself with people who think and act just like you do, it’s a sure sign you
will fall into the expertise trap. Use a wide definition of diversity:
ethnic, experiential, age, religious, departmental, and more. If you’re in
research, why not ask someone from finance to lunch to learn more about what
they do? You can also seek out new people at conferences or in your
community. The key is to engage them, keep an open mind, and learn.
Challenge Yourself
It can be scary to
step outside your comfort zone and accept an assignment which is foreign to
you. Learn to say “yes” and then throw away your established rules, try doing
things differently, and take a few risks.
Learn from Mistakes
Even experts make
mistakes. Don’t downplay the ones you’ve made. Acknowledge them and learn
from them. Think about what led to the mistake and how you can improve next
time.
Take Note: How did
Amazon and Netflix disrupt their industries and become dominant? Senior
executives at traditional retailers relied too much on their expertise as
merchandisers and assumed they would always be right.
Show What You Know
Top of Form
True
or False. In order to keep your status as an expert, it’s best not to accept
assignments that can undercut your experience.
True
False
Correct!
Explanation: Although it can be scary to accept an assignment outside of
your expertise, it will help you grow and learn.Bottom of Form
Video: Growing in Every
Type of Soil
How does someone start four companies in four different
fields and lead each one to success? Elon Musk, who has started companies in
software, energy, automotive, and aerospace, says it’s because he’s always
learning.
Michael Simmons, an author and entrepreneur, calls himself
an expert-generalist, someone who has studied widely in different
fields but understands the connection between them and applies the principles
to their core speciality. Expert-generalists have an advantage because they can
envision combinations, ideas, and strategies that those who only study one
field may not be able to see.
Watch: Simon Sinek,
author of Start with Why: How Great Leaders
Inspire Everyone to Take Action,
discusses how great leaders, regardless of their status, know that they are
lifelong students.
Need help with this
video? Click Here
Growing
Your Skills in Every Field
Perhaps you’re an expert at one thing,
but would like to expand your reach. No matter where you are or what you’re
doing, you can never go wrong with improving these skills that translate to
every single field imaginable (even aerospace!):
Communication: Whether by email,
phone, text, or group chat, we must communicate with others. Fine-tuning your
empathy and understanding toward others will boost your communication skills.
Listening: Many times
when we become an expert, we forget to listen to others. And listening can
sometimes be more important than talking. The next time you are having a
conversation, stop and think about what the person said before you
reply.
Self-Awareness: The best
leaders continue to work on this so they can recognize their strengths and
weaknesses.
Helpfulness: Learn to
encourage others to share their thoughts and support them in their journeys
toward success.
Creativity: Creativity
is like a muscle. If you don’t keep using it, it will get weaker. Try to
exercise your creativity by coming up with unique solutions to challenges.
Take Action: One of the
most important parts of learning is learning transfer which
is taking what we learn in one context and applying it in another. Keith
Holyoak, a UCLA professor of psychology, recommends people ask themselves the
following two questions in order to hone their learning transfer skills:
“What does this remind me of?” and “Why does it remind me of it?” This will
help build the muscles in your brain that help you make connections across
traditional boundaries.
