How to avoid the ‘Expertise Problem’
Last week I wrote about the problem that all salespeople face, especially the new generations who are exposed to much more knowledge and research compared to the past.
In the article I focused on the reinforcement of learned ideas and principles which can become a limit for novelty and change: in order to avoid this, I suggested some actions promising that I would have wrote about how to avoid the scripted behaviours we’re all exposed to.
Before this however, I’d like to give you one more piece of advice which can help you mitigate the expertise problem, a very practical piece of advice that can be applied in your everyday life.
To do this I’ll borrow a concept expressed by Leonard Mlodinow in ‘Elastic’, a book I recommend you to read in order to understand how we think… and way much more.
Last week and as I written, increasing your expertise in a given field can make it tougher to obtain and process new information with an open mind: on the contrary, it can enhance closed-mindedness.
The true expert (quoting L.Mlodinow) on the other hand, is the one who has a deep knowledge in a given field but is able to look at innovations with the ‘Beginner’s Mind’.
The ‘Beginner’s Mind’ is the attitude that allows you to approach everyday life and routines as if it’s the first time – so without preconceptions or assumptions based on past experience.
This doesn’t mean destroying one’s experience and knowledge but questioning it by considering it in constant renewal.
But how to develop the ‘Beginner’s Mind? What actions or behaviours should we adopt?
Following the author’s directions, you need to put some conflict into your interactions: in other words, you need to challenge your intellect and knowledge.
You can succeed in his by constantly exposing yourself to views/opinions/ideas which are totally opposed to yours so as to generate inner dissent.
In other words and giving an actual example, let’s consider all those people who opposed the Covid-19 vaccine: instead of telling them off or lecture them, listen to what they have to say.
Ask questions, get curious, try to learn about their motivations – most likely they won’t succeed in making you a denier, but at least they’ll help you develop an expertise which is more open to change.
