Careful the words you choose
A recent meeting with a client led us to a discussion of the word expert. We come across it everyday and when it comes to persuading others--expertise can be a convincing argument right? Millie and I both resist the urge to call ourselves experts in our field because, honestly, we are not sure we qualify for such a lofty title. Expert to me suggests that someone has reached the mountaintop. And while the mountaintop is a great place to be--where else is there to go from there?
Allow a moment to consider my “expertise” as a public speaker and public speaking coach.
First, I was a goofy debate and speech nerd in high school. While my friends spent their weekends (unbeknownest to me) partying and listening to rock and roll music, I was traveling to schools all over Texas debating issues like prison overcrowding, retirement security and space exploration. To make it all the more exciting I also did foreign exptemporaneous speaking where I dazzled a classroom of judges on issues like apartheid in South Africa and nuclear proliferation in the former Soviet Union. Fascinating.
From there I earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a master’s degree in communication studies as well. I peppered it with my PhD program in Information Science where I specialized in instructional communication and design. During that time I started teaching in the college classroom. Over ten years I estimate about 6,000 students have walked through my door and worked with me to become a better communicator.
I can’t count the number of articles I have written on the subject matter and workshops taught to corporate clients on improving their communication skills. If I try to count the books I have read on my subject matter I lose count.
So, I am an expert right?
Well......
No.
I don’t want you to call me an expert because it implies I know it all. And I don’t. Not even close. Do I know a lot more than the average bear? Yes. But that is because I have given my time and attention to this subject matter for a number of years. I have done that because I am passionate and a true believer. I LOVE public speaking. And I LOVE teaching people to be better public speakers and communicators in general.
Every year we get smarter. In 2008 Millie stumbled upon a little book called Zen Presentations and Poof! it forevermore changed the way we approach what we do. We practiced some of Garr Reynolds principles already but with his book we fully embraced a new way of thinking about slide design. From there, Slideology by Nancy Duarte was published and was a nice piggy back to Zen Presentations. Slideology put on the page many of the things that Millie and I knew were right but somehow having Nancy Duarte articulate it in her beautifully designed book suddenly gave us the energy and drive we needed to share it with our clients.
Don’t call me an expert. But you can call me:
A Storyteller
Passionate Teacher
Curious Learner
Engaging Speaker
Which brings us full circle--be careful the words you choose to talk about yourself. If your competition refers to itself as experts then let em’ have the word. Because there are far more interesting words to describe yourself that will have an impact on your audience as well. If someone that we wanted a contract with asked “Are you experts?” my answer might be:
“I hesitate with the word expert because it might imply I am done learning. We are well read, well researched and very well experienced in our field. And we get better at what we do every year. There are things that are always changing in our field too and we stay abreast of those changes so that you get a better quality product from us. Expert? Maybe. But instead we want you to think of us as engaging, curious, teacher, learner, excited and passionate”
Make a list now of the words you would use to describe yourself. How many of them are tired and worn out (the same words that everyone uses to describe themselves qualify in this category) and pin point what you can say about yourself that no one else can say.
If you do this, you will get closer to separating yourself from all the "experts"
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