What makes someone and Expert or Guru?
I'm both facinated and perplexed by the number of 'experts' I see everyday. It doesn't matter whether I turn on the TV or logon to the net, it seems like I'm surround by 'experts.' After seeing all these things it made me think back to my childhood on what an expert is.
I will leave you with the words of my late great mentor I gave in an interview I had with a reporter from the Asian Wall Street Journal when they wanted to promote me as and interview me as an 'expert' in the field of Product Development in Asia. I've never liked the word 'expert' or 'guru' because I have met very few people that truly have those qualities. I've met a lot of skilled marketers who are good at marketing themselves, but lacked true expertise.
I formed this opinion at the tender age of 17 while being mentored by the late great Stanley Reiter (those that are in the legal field or live in NY knows that Mr. Reiter was one of the great trial lawyers who died far to young unexpectedly). At 17 while applying to colleges we had a nice lunch and he asked me a question that would forever change my thought process on an 'expert.' He asked me if I knew what field of law I wanted to pratice in. I told him my goal was to be an expert in the field of corporate law specializing in M&A for pacific rim countries. He asked me if I knew what an expert was. I told him 'An expert is someone who is extremely knowledgeable in their field.' He smiled (I'm sure at my youthful understanding).
This is what he told me: 'Expertise is not someone who acquires knowledge; you can go to the library and read books and acquire knowledge...expertise is the application and understanding of the knowledge you obtained; in a way that benefits all of those that come in contact with you." He then told me "It's better that you remain a student...because learning is a never ending process. Those that claim expertise have essentially said 'I've learned enough' and have nothing left to learn. These are people who are usually on their way out."
Finally..On how he told me to evaluate an expert: "If you ever truly want to know who an expert is in any field go to their peers and ask them. ie., go to the cardiologist and ask him if he needed a heart transplant and he would die without it, who would he want to perform it? Go to the lawyer and say, you've been accused of murder in a state that has the death penalty, who do you want to represent you? Go to the accountant and ask him, you just received a letter from the IRS that you're going to be audited, whom would you call to get you through the audit? An expert is not someone who claims they're an expert, but it's the person(s) whom in their field, their peers defer to in a time of need."
That was great advice then, and even better now. I've realized over and over that experts are not on TV, they're in their field developing, honing, and testing their craft!
I also dedicated myself to being a 'student' in business, marketing, and in life.
Tell me what do you think makes someone an expert?
I will leave you with the words of my late great mentor I gave in an interview I had with a reporter from the Asian Wall Street Journal when they wanted to promote me as and interview me as an 'expert' in the field of Product Development in Asia. I've never liked the word 'expert' or 'guru' because I have met very few people that truly have those qualities. I've met a lot of skilled marketers who are good at marketing themselves, but lacked true expertise.
I formed this opinion at the tender age of 17 while being mentored by the late great Stanley Reiter (those that are in the legal field or live in NY knows that Mr. Reiter was one of the great trial lawyers who died far to young unexpectedly). At 17 while applying to colleges we had a nice lunch and he asked me a question that would forever change my thought process on an 'expert.' He asked me if I knew what field of law I wanted to pratice in. I told him my goal was to be an expert in the field of corporate law specializing in M&A for pacific rim countries. He asked me if I knew what an expert was. I told him 'An expert is someone who is extremely knowledgeable in their field.' He smiled (I'm sure at my youthful understanding).
This is what he told me: 'Expertise is not someone who acquires knowledge; you can go to the library and read books and acquire knowledge...expertise is the application and understanding of the knowledge you obtained; in a way that benefits all of those that come in contact with you." He then told me "It's better that you remain a student...because learning is a never ending process. Those that claim expertise have essentially said 'I've learned enough' and have nothing left to learn. These are people who are usually on their way out."
Finally..On how he told me to evaluate an expert: "If you ever truly want to know who an expert is in any field go to their peers and ask them. ie., go to the cardiologist and ask him if he needed a heart transplant and he would die without it, who would he want to perform it? Go to the lawyer and say, you've been accused of murder in a state that has the death penalty, who do you want to represent you? Go to the accountant and ask him, you just received a letter from the IRS that you're going to be audited, whom would you call to get you through the audit? An expert is not someone who claims they're an expert, but it's the person(s) whom in their field, their peers defer to in a time of need."
That was great advice then, and even better now. I've realized over and over that experts are not on TV, they're in their field developing, honing, and testing their craft!
I also dedicated myself to being a 'student' in business, marketing, and in life.
Tell me what do you think makes someone an expert?
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