Are Those Real?

There are two types of experts in the world: Real experts, and fake ones. The real experts are the pros who spend many years refining their knowledge and skillset in a particular area and become masters − much like the difference between a brain surgeon and a plastic surgeon that alters people’s features. Fake experts, you know the type, are not interested in solving your problems but building their own egos and reputations as some kind of thought leaders. Both of these groups share one problem: they misunderstand the business of expertise. One group undervalues real knowledge; the other group overvalues fake knowledge.

Spiker Insights

Becoming an expert is not easy at all. You become an expert through repeated exposure to similar patterns and situations. Experts can often see a problem and quickly provide a solution, and that makes them valuable, even though it appears easy and quick in that particular instance. I’ve worked alongside many real experts, belong to councils that we are all part of, and compete with or hire them when the situation calls for it.

Recall the old story of a ship stuck at port because it’s engine wouldn’t start? The ship’s owner brought in a few people that promoted themselves as ship engine experts, and they spent weeks and thousands of dollars on the ship engine, and it still would not work. So finally the ship’s owner decided to call an old hand at ship motors who was very set in his ways and turned most people off, as it was his way or the highway. Well, he came in, looked at the motor, put his ear to the main parts of the engine and then tapped it once with a sledgehammer. The old engine fired to life and he handed a $1,000 invoice to the ship’s owner. “Why so much for just one stroke of a sledgehammer?” he asked, “Oh,” said the repairman, “I forgot to itemize that.”

One Swing of a Sledgehammer: $50

Knowing where to hit the engine with Sledgehammer” $950

Real experts know the value and there is no questioning them.