I am amused how instantaneously some people claim to be subject matter experts. The irony is that the higher they are in the organizational hierarchy, the quicker they make the claim. Expertise requires a level of skill and insight that it is not acquired overnight. Being an authority, or a domain expert, takes experience, time, commitment, and a passion for the field. And some still never get there.
The problem is that when we claim expertise, we set a high bar. When we are unable to deliver, we are bound to fail. It is better to soften the rhetoric and be realistic in setting expectations. It reduces, greatly, the probability of falling on one’s face.
About Hemant Rustogi