The Curse of the Expert
When we human beings become expert at something, we are sometimes surprised to find that we are not very good at explaining how to do the thing we are expert in. You might be great at creating a budget estimate, conducting an interview, or, I don't know, being a bee-keeper. But explaining to someone else how to forecast expenses, ask the right questions, or extract honey from a comb without getting stung? You find yourself starting to flail – you can’t find the right words or and it’s hard to break your actions down into step by step guidance.
Why does this happen? Our brains, that’s why. When we reach the level of true expert, much of it becomes unconscious and automatic. Just think about driving a car. We no longer think about when to brake; we just do it, almost by instinct.
As an expert, we can also tend to “show” people how to do this thing that’s so easy for us, rather than guiding them as they do it themselves. That’s a recipe for stress, frustration and disappointment. Stress for the employees because watching someone fly through a task doesn’t remotely train them to do it themselves. Disappointment for the experts because they will probably receive less than stellar output even though they think they “trained” the employee. Frustration all around.
So take a step back. Decide if you are the right person to train or explain things. Is that a task best delegated to someone else? If it must be you, break the subject down into manageable chunks that a novice or competent (but not expert) person can understand. Pause between chunks – check that they are tracking what you are saying. And, have them do it rather than watching or listening to you. It’s the only way a person can actually become independent - practicing it themselves without the expectation that their first few tries be perfect.
More to come next month on this “expert dilemma” and tips for helping someone learn effectively. Until then, cheers to all of us out there trying to ignite the best in ourselves and our team members.