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One weekend recently, I began thinking about the term ‘expert’ and its implications to both this book and the world at large. I turned on the television and there it was, staring me in the face: a commercial for a well-known brand of toothpaste, claiming that experts unanimously agree – their whitening system produces the most dramatic results. I decided to look up “experts agree” on the internet and there they were – endorsements for every product or service imaginable, from the most recognizable brands to the obscure companies.
Experts agree – testimonials work. But they’re everywhere! The age of the Internet continues to bring more and more professionals into the public realm. They have begun to tout the expert designation, pinning it on their ability to attract and maintain an audience through blogs, podcasts and other methods of mass communication. But a person’s star power does not qualify them for the title “expert.” That qualification has to do with a person’s proficiency, knowledge and experience, and more importantly how they have helped to shape their industry as a whole.
Expertise is the set of skills, comprehension and accomplishments that distinguish the expert from the novice. In our daily lives, we go to experts in search of solutions to a specific problem. We put our trust in the expert’s skill set; we admire their years of experience in the field and we value their intuition. Ultimately, we respect their authority and express our thanks; for, without that someone, we couldn’t get the job done the right way.
Expert is a powerful word. The philosopher Plato stood by the notion that society “needs an expert” to govern over the state of affairs. In 1959, psychologists Bertram Raven and John R.P. French, Jr. proposed that social and organizational influence is attributed to five ‘Bases of Social Power.’ These schemata included ‘Expert Power,’ an idea quantified by a person’s distinctive intelligence, skills and abilities. Dr. Hubert Dreyfus, a graduate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley who received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1964, observed that the knowledge gained from living through “the actual outcomes of thousands of situations” enables those with ‘Expert Power’ to maneuver through future situations where those without similar past experiences may stumble. This talent for complicated maneuverability is what makes the expert so valuable in today’s business world.
When confronted with the question, “What topics do you consider yourself to be an expert on?” many of our featured members were uncomfortable with the notion. Some responded, “I consider myself to be a continuous learner, and I understand that there is always room for growth.” Simply put, they are modest experts. But modesty does not take the mastery out of years spent creating solutions for a respective industry. To sum it up, businessman and philanthropist W. Clement Stone once stated, “Try, try, try, and keep on trying is the rule that must be followed to become an expert in anything.”
From chapter to chapter, you will notice common threads of expert characteristics. Experts follow their vision. They generate innovative ideas. They express a genuine love for their work. They exert an authentic, extraordinary sense of intuition when engaged in their work. Experts also share their experience with others in the form of public speaking and seminars, contributions to industry-related journals or as the featured subjects of informative interviews.
We are proud to present Top 101 Industry Experts, which is more than a book highlighting select Cambridge Who’s Who members for their accomplishments and services. It is a snapshot of the issues, trends and ideas shaping the business world in 2008 and the future. We welcome you to absorb the sound advice and rhetoric our expert members have committed to the pages of this book. We also encourage you to network with them to gain astute advice and discover strategies that will greatly enhance your career.
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