Experts don't disqualify themselves through humility

  • Guernsey

Author:  Douglas Kruger

Short Description

‘Quick! The business is dying! Find me the humblest possible consultant to solve the problem!’ as Experts don’t disqualify themselves. Author Allen Weiss makes this tongue-in-cheek point in his book, ‘Million Dollar Maverick.’ And it’s a good one. As we strive to position ourselves as top-level experts in our industry, a demure and deferring persona […]

‘Quick! The business is dying! Find me the humblest possible consultant to solve the problem!’ as Experts don’t disqualify themselves.

Author Allen Weiss makes this tongue-in-cheek point in his book, ‘Million Dollar Maverick.’ And it’s a good one. As we strive to position ourselves as top-level experts in our industry, a demure and deferring persona does not serve us well. The opposite actually applies: Certainty and clarity win the day.

Clients want to know that you know your stuff, and that you know it better than anyone else. Is that what you currently portray? If not, you may be disqualifying yourself as an expert.

‘But my Momma raised me right’

This isn’t a clarion call to arrogance, and manners will always matter. Even more so at the highest levels of industry, I would content.

Instead, this is merely about the ability to state your value openly and confidently. Imagine yourself in the client’s shoes. There is little upside for them to a best-kept-secret or a reticent rescuer. Rescue boldly, if you want to lead an industry. The energy and conviction of a confident problem solver is attractive, and it’s not akin to rudeness.

Experts don’t disqualify themselves through humility

Taking Charge:

My local barber is staffed by a friendly group of Moroccan men. They’re conveniently located and very good at what they do, even if I struggle to understand them. We get by on short sentences and a lot of pointing.

One day, I got the new guy. And it occurred to me as I took my seat and he started going about his business that there is such a thing as ‘too polite.’ He was tentative and cautious to the point of it becoming wearisome for me.

While his experienced seniors would simply take my head into their hands, move it assertively into position as they needed, and confidently run the show, all the while chatting up a perfectly unintelligible storm, the newcomer was timid. He was scared to move his customers around, or to take charge in any way. It was incredibly taxing. It flipped the dynamic and actually forced me to be in charge, which I didn’t want.

When you engage the services of an expert, you want them to own their role and lead the way. Yes, of course they should listen effectively and properly diagnose. But after that, it’s their show and they should run it.

Taking charge is one way to avoid the humility trap.

Showing before and after

Another way to avoid the humility trap is to clearly depict results. What desirable outcomes can you achieve for your clients? What impressive results have you had in the past? Are you shy to share them? Are you burying them in a blanket of silent humility?

Don’t. That’s the same thing as being completely unknown. That’s the opposite of an industry expert.

Those results, and their strong promise, are precisely what your buyer wants and needs. He or she is in the market looking for clear, positive outcomes. If you are too sensitive to announce the great results that you can achieve for them, you’re out! Someone with bolder assurances will win that business.

We never seek out the humblest solution. We seek out the best one. And if you’re not clearly showing that you fit the bill, you may be disqualifying yourself for earnings. You may be quietly and cautiously striking out as an industry expert.

Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Facebook

Author Profile

Read further articles in similar categories

Video

The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

Similar to Experts don't disqualify themselves through humility

WS Logo 512

One of the attractions of Work-At-Home schedule is the vision of freedom it invokes — no time clock, no time sheets, and no one to account for how you spend your time. Yes, it is an attractive proposition, but like so many attractive propositions there is a heavy downside — you are likely wasting a […]

  • Author: WeSpeak Global
Ryan Estis

I first met Julie Faupel during a week-long personal growth retreat and learnt how to get Closer to Your Customer. The retreat required a total digital detox and abstinence of any conversation related to career, work or business. Julie and I became fast friends and for me personally, the retreat experience was transformational. Fortunately, the […]

  • Author: Ryan Estis
Mike Robbins

Be a Force for Good in the wake of some of the recent events in the world and in light of so much of what we’ve all been through the past few years, I’ve been finding it challenging to focus on the good stuff and Be a Force for Good, even though this is at […]

  • Author: Mike Robbins
Sara Canaday

The relentless pace and uncertainty of business today is taking a serious toll on all of us. Mental Health Leadership Priority might strive to be purpose-driven, impactful and innovative, but they are often hijacked by constant crisis management and the pressure to give everyone a voice. As if that’s not enough, add in the exhaustion […]

  • Author: Sara Canaday
Michael Rogers

I’m already working–virtually, of course–with clients on what comes after COVID and what the future may hold. One trend is clear: the “virtualization” of our world has greatly accelerated. Work from home, telemedicine, virtual shopping, distance learning, socializing, exercise: more activities than we might imagine will move to the virtual world during the rest of […]

  • Author: Michael Rogers
Tony Leon - leaders must stop

Punch-drunk public runs out of faith in its leaders, article written by Tony Leon who is a Political Commentator in South Africa. Cascading corruption, sky-high unemployment, and state incompetence. This daily diet of misery is now so mundane and common that what once induced shock and outrage in us is shrugged off. We have, as […]

  • Author: Tony Leon
WS Logo 512

We’ve recently been on an investment drive to raise massive capital for our product, Lohocla and the number we are gunning for is rather massive relative to what we were thinking years ago and as such we Earn Your Stripes, The funny thing is that the people we are contacting today are the very same […]

  • Author: Llewellyn Devereaux
Adam Markel

I want you to think about investing in yourself as you become more resilient. The work that feeds your mind, body and soul. Self-investment is the first step in your resilience journey   I want you to think about investing in yourself as your most important work. The work that feeds your mind, body and […]

  • Author: Adam Markel

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME