what is an "expert" ??
 

are all experts self-appointed? is there some
criteria for calling yourself one? how do you
know you are one??

This is what happened when the University Professor of Business decided to open his own cafe....
 

Hi Joe,

I think there are basically two ways to be an "expert"....

One way is the institutional way like Gordon said. Having a piece of paper to put on your wall and write in your resume.... I guess I'm this kind of "expert" in quantum physics, since I have a Ph.D. in this field. BUT, as Gordon said, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a lot of practical knowledge....

I read a story once about a University Professor of Business who went to open his own cafe. It flopped, and he lost a lot of money! He still had to learn from experience like everyone else!

I think after a few false starts, though, he managed to succeed in creating a profitable cafe.... EVERYONE can learn from experience if you see every "failure" as another lesson in life's business course!

I think the other way to become an "expert" is when you might start noticing that you know more about a topic than most others do, and people start coming to you for your advice! I think in this situation, you can probably call yourself an expert too.... :)

Some people do just "call" themselves experts, but there should definitely be some knowledge/experience backing it up. I think Joe Karbo (in "The Lazy Man's Way to Riches") mentioned that, you probably know more about SOMETHING than 50% of the population. That means that to at least the 50% who know less than you do in that topic, you're an expert. I think Joe Karbo was writing about this in the context of writing a book - if you know more than 50% of the people about a topic, then you can write a book to teach it to them. :)

Thanks Joe, this is an interesting topic.... :)

- Dien Rice

The difference between "Mavens and "Experts"s
 

Place a question on most of these type of "discussion boards" and you will get "answers" from lots of "mavens"! People who "think" they know the answer....but aren't SURE because they have never actually DONE what they are commenting on.

"Mavens" are "Amateur Experts"! (IMHO)

The "experts"...those who have the EXPERIENCE of actually DOING what they are commenting on... usually want to get PAID for their "expertise".

So...what you will find on MOST of these "discussion" forums are "people who like to "discuss" things....whether they have any "experience" about what they're talking about or not is irrelevant...it's the COMMENT that counts...and for those selling stuff...an "excuse" to get their Links seen.

Then...there's people like "me"...who have done a lot of things and get enjoyment from trying to help someone else...BASED UPON "MY" EXPERIENCE!

Don Alm

> are all experts self-appointed? is there
> some
> criteria for calling yourself one? how do
> you
> know you are one??

Only one thing do I know...
 

> are all experts self-appointed? is there
> some
> criteria for calling yourself one? how do
> you
> know you are one??

Socrates said "Only one thing do I know, and that is that I know nothing"; or a man who knows nothing and knows he knows nothing, knows more than a man who knows nothing but thinks he knows something.

Socrates is said to have searched in vain for even one truly wise man, finally concluding there was no one wiser than he, while he himself professed to know nothing, and thus could hardly be considered wise.

Does being an expert include some conclusion brought on by a closure that every aspect of a topic has been thoroughly studied and there is no more to learn?

I propose that "expert" is a relative term.

Best Regards,
Steve MacLellan




homebusiness-websites.com

You'll Know You're An Expert When ...
 

From Webster's Third New International Dictionary:
expert - "one who has acquired special skill in or knowledge of a particular subject through professional training or practical experience"

Personally, I'd define an expert as "someone who can skillfully solve problems and get desired results in a speciallized area of operation, regardless of training or experience"

> are all experts self-appointed?

Don't know about that, but I would say that any true expert knows that he or she is an expert.

> is there some criteria for calling yourself one?

Per the definitions above, you'll know you're an expert when (1) you have acquired specialized skill and/or knowledge, and (2) you can use your skill and knowldege to solve problems and get desired results in that specialized area of operation.

>how do you know you are one??

Same answer as the last question. PERSONAL EXAMPLE: I have done sheet metal work for about 11 years. There came a point a few years back where I realized that there is no sheet metal problem I can't solve. That makes me a "sheet metal expert". Does it mean that I know everything there is to know about sheet metal? Not by a long shot! It simply means I have acquired enough knowledge and skill to be able to solve any sheet metal problem I come up against. In short, I can get desired results in sheet metal --- every time! However, it is of interest to note that in attacking sheet metal problems, I sometimes have to consult with other sheet metal experts to get the information I need to solve the problem. This is part and parcel of being an expert: Knowing your limits (knowing what you know and what you don't know), and where to go to get answers that are beyond your current realm of knowledge, skill or experience. That gives you, as an expert, the opportunity to expand your expertise! Pity (and avoid) the "expert" who thinks he or she knows everything there is to know about a subject.

--- Hugh

Anointed experts
 

> are all experts self-appointed? is there
> some
> criteria for calling yourself one? how do
> you
> know you are one??

Sometimes experts are appointed by others in the sense that the person so consistently gives reliable advice that others begin to say, "You want to know about ZZZ, talk to YYY." I've seen this happen in online communities, where the highly regarded but humble person takes a long time to understand that this is going on.

Far better for it to happen this way than for someone to claim expertise that others don't believe he or she has.

Marcia Yudkin


Learn how to avoid epidemic Web marketing mistakes from my new book!

Re: This is what happened when the University Professor of Business decided to open his own cafe....
 

Dien -

When I was in grad school, a group of the business professors decided to "help" a minority business improve its practices and profitability. The business went out of business with their "help"! Unfortunately, they just went back to the halls of academia, while the poor owner went on welfare!

That was an early lesson to me about "book expertise" and experience expertise. In my opinion, true experts have both, and continue to learn from both.

I've seen the definition, "An expert is someone dead from the neck up", implying they've stopped learning. Certainly applied to my old prof's:-)

Bob

That's an easy question ...
 

"X" is an unknown quantity. "Spurt" is a drip under pressure.

I qualify.

Jim


Knowledge is Power! Or, is it?

Re: what is an "expert" ??
 

And to follow up on Jim's statement about the "drip under pressure", (my dad told me this one *years* ago), here's another definition.

An expert is someone at least 25 miles from home with a briefcase!!!

Rick Smith, "The Net Guerrilla"




The Online Home for Guerrilla Product Developers

More answers...
 

Energetic
Xylophone
Player
Engaged-in
Retail
Trading

In Australia, we have a brand of shampoo called PERT...

EXPERT: Someone who used to be a bottle of shampoo?

And in more real terms...

Anyone who has more "knowledge, experience and/or get-done-ability" than you, about a particular subject. And that's a matter of your Point Of View (POV) as it relates to different aspects about the subject... and your POV may change.

Billy Bob may be an "expert" marketer and copywriter, in general terms when compared to you, - BUT - when it comes to selling your Blue Widgets to your customers, YOU are the "expert" as YOU have unique experiences that no-one else who sells Blue Widgest has. You may be able to apply some of Billy Bobs ideas and concepts to your Blue Widget business to help it grow, but you still remain the "expert" of it.

Hugh's post sums this up quite nicely.

Michael Ross.

If you want to learn how to use a few spare bucks to start any business you want or expand your current business with little or no risk, click here.