Expertise is the application of knowledge and skills, encompassing know how by methods, tools, and place to perform a task, combined with a certain level of experience. To gain expertise, individuals may study for years at university, acquire necessary diplomas or learn through practical experience from apprenticeship to mastery, and prove their expertise through certifications and references.
Respect and trust should be shown to an expert. It would be absurd for uninformed individuals to make authoritative statements in the presence of an expert. However, trust in experts has been declining in modern times. This may stem from various reasons, such as unethical behavior by experts, their encroachment into areas outside their expertise, projecting inconsistency to their audience, or failing to achieve stated outcomes. For instance, it has become a common habit to seek opinions from multiple doctors instead of one, but it is impossible and unnecessary for an ordinary person to have in-depth knowledge of medical topics.
Similarly, consulting a craftsman for repairs but not trusting them has become a typical sentiment. We shouldn’t need to learn the details of the job the craftsman will perform. Trusting expertise and paying for it should suffice. Unfortunately, many of us have turned into people who try to gather information on every task through YouTube videos and get work done while remaining constantly skeptical. In such a scenario, what is the point of expertise?
Therefore, experts need to continuously learn, stay up-to-date, remain connected to practical applications, leverage technology, actively network, and keep up with innovations. To establish trust with clients, transparency, ethics, empathy, clear communication, professionalism, consistency, and competence are crucial. Experts who embody these qualities and adopt a solution-oriented approach are always appreciated and trusted. That’s the essence of the matter!
Rather than focusing solely on the technical aspects of expertise, consider the traits listed in this text that an expert should possess. You cannot be an expert in everything, but you can question the trust and respect given to experts.
Moreover, we should not shy away from appreciating those who have dedicated their lives to their expertise.
Dr. Bilinç Dolmacı
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