Expert or Ex-Spurt?

“An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgments simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.” ~Edward de Bono

Or…

“An ‘ex’ is a has-been, and a ‘spurt’ is a  drip under pressure.” ~My Uncle Brian

 Many times in life, we have to decide whether or not to bring in an “expert”.  Are you going to bring in someone with a legitimate skill set, who can add value to your project/team/organization, or are you going to bring in an “expert” (like some consultants, etc.) who doesn’t add value, and wastes a lot of your time.  Yes, you, too need to know when what they’re saying is something to pay attention to, and what to ignore.  Many people interview well, but not all of them will be super stars.  When you are wrong (it happens), learn from your mistakes, but don’t beat yourself up too badly. 

The best way to increase your odds of making a good choice is to thoroughly interview them, check their references, and when you find a good one, by golly, don’t let them go!  (Did I just type “by golly”???). 

 Speaking of Paying Attention…

 

Rubes cartoons used with permission. www.rubescartoons.com