Skills

Hello from sunny, friendly Manitoba! The canola fields are in full bloom and I couldn’t be happier to be spending some holiday time in my second provincial home, Manitoba!

Some food for thought while I am away….

You stumble upon someones social media profile and read that they have labelled themselves an ‘expert’ in their given field. Or, you read the tweets or posts of someone you follow who gives off the impression that they know what they’re talking about but you wonder to yourself, how do they know so much (or worse, why do they think they are an expert in [insert field]?) It makes you then question whether you could be technically considered an ‘expert’ in your given field.

What constituents an expert anyways?

Is it schooling?
Number of hours worked in the industry?
How knowledgeable you are on the topic compared to others in the field?
Number of followers you have in your social media networks and the influence you have?

Now a days, it is easy to be an expert in anything and be labelled as such. The internet, technology and social media have helped provide people with a platform to showcase their skills and talents. People now have access to people, communities, tools and resources like never before. Endless tools (that are free!) help people promote who they are and what they can offer to others.

So back to the initial question then, what constitutes an expert? Is there really a right answer to this question?

“What constitutes an expert?” – #PassionateVoice

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People with many years of schooling are highly regarded as an expert in their field. People who have been identified by their peers and continue to give talks/teach in their field are considered an expert. People with large social media networks are often regarded as experts by their followers because of what they share and the value they bring to their network.

To be considered an expert in your field, it comes down to how you are seen by others.

If you are the “go too” person in your field on a specific topic, then people most likely will view you as an expert. How you have positioned yourself in your field by what you’ve said, how you’ve said it and how you’ve made people feel all help establish yourself as an expert.

Referrals and testimonials also help speak volumes to your expertise. If you are good at what you do, you will come highly recommended by your peers which will help others see your value.

“To be an expert, you have to be trusted by people” – The Passionate Voice

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To be an expert, you have to be trusted by people. That is something that hasn’t changed over time regardless of new technology, social media or the internet. These tools have only helped enhance how many people can see you as an expert. The fundamental reason why experts exist, still lies in how you make others feel, how people see you and whether they trust you in what you are talking about.

Gain people’s trust. Be THAT expert in your field.

[Photo Source]

As a follow up to my post last week, “The Reasons We Take Communication For Granted,” I want to share a funny story that builds on why communication is so important in our repertoire of skills. I recently saw a connection in my LinkedIn network add “Customer Service” to their profile of skills. I had a good chuckle out loud (I know, I felt horrible after) but the reason why I laughed is because this person is not good at customer service whatsoever! To think this person thought they were good at customer service and added this to their public profile brings to light how sometimes we can blinded by our own ignorance.

Then the light off: the reason I thought this person was bad at customer service was simply because they are a poor communicator. The best customer service experiences I have had and the reason why I believe someone is good at customer service is because they are good at communicating when I’m being served by them. They are an effective two-way communicator – they listen and speak well.

The reason why someone is good at customer service is because they are a good communicator. They…

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Society takes no prisoners in bad customer service situations. Positive customer service is mandatory in all customer service industries now a days because if consumers have a bad experience, social media and other potential customers hear about it on a very far-reaching scale. I’m sure as you’re reading this in fact, you’re thinking of all the bad customer service experiences you may have had that you may have also shared on social media. Those times where the customer service agent was just lousy – they seemed uninterested in helping you; they were annoyed you asked for help; they couldn’t help find what you were looking for; they weren’t resourceful; or they just seemed pre-occupied. In all these instances, these customer service agents whom we’ve all unfortunately ran into, were bad communicators as they couldn’t communicate effectively at the time with you as the customer.

When you really think about, all industries encompass some form of customer service. All organizations have to ensure their front facing employees, not just customer service agents, are great with people, are effective communicators and have a memorable (hopefully positive!) experience with their clients or customers.

This is a good lesson for all readers. Do a personal check and ask yourself:

Am I an effective communicator?
More importantly, do the people around me (friends, family, colleagues) think I’m a good communicator?
Do I get my points across clearly with the people I communicate with daily?
Am I taking the time each day to work on being a better communicator?
If not, how can I work to improve my communication skills like the other skills in my ‘toolbox?’

Don’t underestimate the value of communication in your customer service toolbox. It may just be the reason why you are sought after for speaking roles; why you are tapped for a promotion; why people come to you for advice…. or whether you are endorsed on LinkedIn (or not).