Valuing Your Experts

 No matter if you're in the corporate world or running your own business, you're working with other people who have different skill sets from yours. The beauty in that is that's why you're working with them, or in some cases, hired them.

Or why someone hired you.

You bring a specific set of skills, talents, abilities, knowledge and gifts that only you could do. Just like each person you work with.

So when situations present themselves where you question what your expert says or does, remember why you hired them in the first place and seek to understand where they are coming from before jumping to any conclusions.

The saying about "knowing enough to be dangerous" is what's running through my mind because that can be a double edged sword. To know enough to be dangerous so that you can have a conversation and be wiling to say when you don't know and ask questions is great. Yet to know enough to be dangerous and not ask questions or assume you know more than you really do is setting yourself and others up for failure. The outcome you wanted from that product, project or service will not be its best, but the bigger picture is that by not seeking to understand why your expert is recommending a certain approach, order or technique, you run the risk of ostracizing and disengaging them.

If it's a one off situation, with clear, honest and respectful communication you can work through it, but if it continues, the very expert you thought would help may not stay. And if they do, it will be half-hearted, which doesn't serve anyone. Trust the experts you've hired to leverage all their expertise in the best possible way for your team, organization or business and create the space that allows for open, honest, respectful, and clear communication, so that everyone feels seen, heard and respected.