But does any of that matter of you can’t communicate it?

From my post yesterday, How Not Knowing Something Makes You More Of An Expert, an interesting conversation emerged. I really enjoyed hearing your perspectives on whether an expert had to know everything or not.

What most of us agreed upon is that the term expert can apply to anyone who has a unique and valuable perspective on a topic. In other words, you don’t have to be at the top of the ladder to be considered an expert. Rather, you can be seen as an expert simply by knowing more than your audience.

The second, and I think more important, point that was made had to do with how you get the title of ‘expert’ in the first place. We almost unanimously agreed that it’s unfair to designate yourself as an expert in anything. That designation is reserved for other people to ‘judge you’ by.

The conversation on this topics was (still is – as it keeps going) great. But one comment stood out for me. It was from Michael Sass, who, unfortunately, didn’t leave a URL for us to follow. Check this out…

Interesting topic that can trigger self-worth and self esteem issues. Here’s my take…Clients work with us not because of what we know, but because of our ability to bridge the gap between what we know and what our clients know.We are experts and students of our given fields. We have gathered a great deal of information and experience, but remain open to learning. A master is an expert and a student at the same time. Standing on a mountain of information and experience, they remain open to the unknown, and are not fooled into believing they’re finished learning.

When I read this, so many ideas popped off in my mind that I wasn’t sure exactly how to respond. Yet, I managed this:

Yes! Yes! Yes! Now you’re sounding a bit more like Confucius than Seth (Godin).

What you describe is very close to what I think as well. Personally, I run a business that’s about knowing, learning and synthesizing a number of components – marketing, business development, strategic planning, copy writing, website development, usability, graphic design, social media – to help people grow their businesses through the internet. So not only do I need to know what I know, I also need to keep up with areas that are quickly and constantly changing. And because I coach and consult with my clients, if I can’t effectively communicate what I know, then what I know is virtually useless.

Notice I didn’t say teach. I said communicate. Teachers often just spew out information (think of your TA’s in college) without much concern whether they’re doing so in the most effective way for people to learn. Communication, on the other hand, is about being understood. And the coaching is about helping people apply their new understandings.

Does all this make me an expert? I don’t care, really or personally. All I care about is helping my clients ‘get it and use it.’

Again, I’m running through tons of thoughts right now. But the one that sticks out the most is about communicating. Are you really an expert if you can’t communicate – clearly share – what you know?

I wonder. I know plenty of people who have a lot to offer. I know far less who can really share what they know in a way that benefits others. So, I ask you, can we consider someone with knowledge an expert if they’re unable to communicate their knowledge in a way that helps others?

What inspires you?

For me, it’s my kids, my wife, a rolling thunderstorm across the plains, a fresh mountain snow above timberline in September, the sound of water falling from a cliff – okay, really anything involving nature.

And words. Words that express depth and meaning. Words that, together, make me think or feel or taste the layers of living.

A couple of weeks back I wrote 5 Inspirational Quotes For Conversational Blogging as a part of Darren Rowse’s last writing project.

Of course, being me I couldn’t stop with 5. Instead I had to write 8. And the truth is that there were many more I didn’t include. So I thought I’d share five more with you. Five more quotes written by people who weren’t even alive to see the personal computer, let alone the internet or a blog. Five more quotes that relate to conversational blogging…

• It is in giving oneself that one receives – St. Francsis of Assisi
  Everything worthwhile in the blogosphere begins with giving. The conversational blogger knows this so they spend their time giving in the best ways they can – by writing, commenting and linking.
• It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle
  The conversational blogger isn’t concerned with being right or being persuaded. Instead, they adopt a sharing, open dialogue with their readers that may entice debate or further conversation, but rarely into argument about who’s right or wrong.
• The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. – St. Augustine
  Same with the blogosphere. There are conversations in every corner of the blogosphere. The conversational blogger searches out the ones that interest them most and adds what they can to the conversation.
• It doesn’t matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop – Confucius
  Consistency is really the key to a conversational blogger’s success. They’re not in it for the race. Rather they meet the blogosphere at a pace that they can sustain.
• Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud – Sophocles
  Staying true to themselves it what makes the conversational blogger succeed – even if their blog does not. It’s more important to them to be honest and authentic then to just have a popular blog.

Okay, fine, one more…

• The greatest mistake in life is to be in constant fear that you’ll make one – Elbert Hubbard
  As conversational bloggers, we mess up from time to time. And it just so happens that are mess ups happen in front of everyone. But hey, who’s perfect anyhow? Not me. And I’m going to continue to make mistakes so that I can learn something I didn’t know.

So there’s six more inspirational quotes that can help the conversational blogger. Each of these speak to me in different ways. I’d love to hear how any of them speak to you.

Do you have a favorite quote of your own that helps guide your blogging? I’d love it if you would share it.