There’s the Expert, and Then There’s You

A leader must have the courage to act against an expert’s advice. ~James Callaghan

We live in a world where experts abound.  You may be one of them.  I am as well.  By virtue of the fact that you are a leader, you’ve got expertise in some area, no doubt about it.  And, as I recently read, “expertise” is relative.  While you may be an expert relative to some in a particular field, relative to others in that same field or in a different field altogether you may be little more than a novitiate.  And in light of this, there will be times when, even as an expert yourself, you lean into the advice of experts more qualified than yourself.  It’s the nature of the beast.

Now, all that being said, there is a bit of a catch in this leadership game, and it’s brilliantly summarized in James Callaghan’s quote above.  There’s a way that leadership requires you to research and look into the advice of experts, no doubt about it.  Indeed, having a team of experts available to access at any given moment is the prerogative of leaders.  At the same time, however, wearing the leader’s hat  requires you to know your own position — which may sometimes deviate from what the experts believe or have to say — and act on that.  This requires more than a modicum of courage, for sure.  Going against the grain can be a bold move.  I mean, what if you’re wrong?  Well, this is the risk that leaders take.  It’s part and parcel of the leadership game.  Rest assured, following the advice of experts can also be wrong.  Why?  Because even the best of advice only works if the circumstances in which its applied is conducive to the success of said advice.  If there’s something about your particular situation that is different or non-supportive of the advice in question, it will not work.  And your job as leader is to know your circumstances, know your unique position, and apply the expert advice within the frame of what you know to be true.

Bottom-line:  if you want to be a truly effective leader — whether personally, professionally or both — you’ve got to be willing to hold your own, even as you acknowledge the expertise of others.  Experts are human too.  They can make mistakes as much as you can, especially if they are not familiar with the unique aspects of your leadership scenario.  Remember, when it comes right down to it, you’re the expert in your particular leadership situation; as such, you have a responsibility to know which advice will work in your circumstances, apply it as appropriate and be courageous enough to make alternative choices at all other times.