A guide rather than an expert: navigating social media
The world is beginning to fill with self proclaimed social media experts and Trust Agents
(even though Chris Brogan and Julien Smith warn against calling yourself such things). These people can not possibly be experts. We are all learning in this space. Yes, some have a true uncanny ability to connect and build communities.
An expert though, by definition, is someone who knows everything about a subject. Social Media is such a new frontier that there really is no way that someone could honestly claim to fully understand it. It is constantly changing, and rules of the game are continually being remade and broken.
Like climbing guides, a good consultant is someone who has survived a few impressive journeys and now wants to offer help to others. And like a guide, they usually fail when they become too cocky. When I was growing up, my dad would tell me stories of pilots who died because they were too confident. The good ones are always learning, always correcting and experimenting.
Recently I was watching an episode of Globe Trekker. Adventure diva Holly Morris had chosen to attempt a personal life goal of climbing the Matterhorn. She could have tried the climb alone with some chance of success. She chose wisely though to use a trusted Mt. Guide, Ricky Andenmatten. Her guide is what caught my attention. He was humble, kind, and most of all knowledgeable. He also offered a sense of safety and confidence to his client.
Guides are simply people who have gone before us. They come back from the journey and offer us the chance to succeed where we might have failed. They also offer tips for avoiding some of the least obvious pitfalls, as well as nuggets we might miss if trekking through the web on our own.
Guides can range from seasoned veterans to those just starting out. Right now we have a new frontier still being explored. Some of us have been to the far reaches and are now offering our help to others. Others are just starting out. If you have survived, offer what you found, but please leave the expert out of your title. Let others call you an expert, trust agent, or guru.
*Matterhorn image used under the flckr creative commons nordique
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Great post John.
I totally agree. And I love the guide reference. Might have to quote you on that one!
I’m about 40% through Trust Agents myself. Really easy read, but packed with good info. It would be fun to do a meetup about it after a few more of us finish it.
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Jason, Thanks. Yeah I have wanted to post that for a long time. I wrote it about 3 months ago but it did not seem like the time to post it. Then reading that in Trust Agents just confirmed so much. I am really enjoying it as well.
John
For me an expert in anything knows enough to know what he/she doesn’t know and both learns and un-learns rapidly.
John I loved this post so much, I wrote a not-too-serious follow up: Selecting a social media guide. What do you think?
I love the post. Lewis and Clark are my all time favorite American historical figures, and mainly for their leadership and ability to navigate strange and new territory. Just today I saw two companies who do not have a guide make classic mistakes that will eventually hurt them. Your points are great. There is so much to say on this subject. Thanks so much for expanding!
I work with a company called the Real Estate Tomato (we design blogsites for real estate agents and train them on how to utilize the web effectively to market their business). My business card says “Consultant” and that’s it. I don’t call myself an expert (though I’ve been introduced as such at an event or two (not by my request mind you). My point? I’m against the whole use of words like “Expert”, “Guru” etc.
Too many self-proclaimed experts out there.
I’m aware of my abilities and what I can and can’t do for clients. I won’t be calling myself an expert any time soon but I do like to refer to myself as a guide for real estate agents, here to help them navigate the social media jungle
Ricardo, That is why I love the word guide. You sound like a regular frontier guide in your own niche in the real estate world. Great website by the way. Have a blast at Blogworld.
Thanks for reading.
Outstanding post John. It is obvious that you subscribe to modesty and an attitude of constant learning. You cannot bring value to clients as a consultant if you’re yourself not constantly growing. An self-proclaimed expert will probably not see a need to grow.
Was your father in the Air Force? Thanks!
Thanks Allan. Yep if we are not growing we stagnate. My dad is a private pilot. He is a true man of innovation. He founded Shari’s Corporation when I was a kid and I got to fly all over the country as he visited the stores.
He now owns and runs @callahanslodge.