Is it Better to be an Expert or to Know How to Become an Expert?

@Doug-Von-Feldt – Both. I’ve known those who were perpetual students (whether actually enrolled in studies or stuck in “analysis paralysis”) and never solve problems so that they can move on. So just knowing how to learn is insufficient, although as you identify it is necessary with as much change as happens now.
Likewise, an expert today is a dinosaur tomorrow due to technology advancements.
One could fold continual learning as an attribute to being an expert (this is a characteristic of true professionals), then just being an expert would be sufficient, but I don’t think this is a commonly accepted attribute.
Just my opinion.

@Doug-Von-Feldt What I just wrote in my Innovation Journal (gag) is “don’t read this book by Tim Hurson, it appears to make people ponder their naval and ask really dumb questions”.

Doug, I would advise not to post when high on tripe.

@brprakash Amen brother. A corollary to your insight – most who proclaim themselves to be an expert aren’t.

I would agree with you. If I were looking for an employee I would value most the skill and ability to learn. Learning being defined as the ability to recieve new information and then apply that knowledge in a valuable way. I consider an “Expert” as someone who is able to problem solve effectively and quickly in a given field. In a manufacturing setting we typically need problem solving quickly, thus we call in the expert. Someone who has so much experience in a given area that he is able to quickly learn how to best solve the issue. I see learning to be an expert as almost part of the definition of expert itself!

Example: One may be called an expert rock climber not soley because he has climbing a large number of routes but because he has the experience that allows him to qucikly solve and climb a route, his fine tuned climbing skills (here the ability to learn in a quickly changing industry) as the base for his ability. On the flip side many have climbed some of the tallest mountains in world while being aided, guided and often carried up or down the mountain (here someone who can follow and repeat a process to the T fomr years of experience but is little help when a new issue arises.

All of the sudden we participate in an industry where the importance of WHAT you learned and what you DO know is secondary to HOW you learn and what you CAN know.

@Mike-Carnell – Sprinkle Robert’s posts liberally with “y’alls” and “hey, der’s” and it’ll make more sense to you.

BTW – The board should get more interesting for the next few weeks, don’tcha think?

@rbutler – ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robert, I didn’t know you had it in you. I’m now truly impressed, and humbled to the core.

@Mike-Carnell – been quiet today, too quiet…

@stanmikel Into old stuff here like the Amazing Rhythm Aces and some David Allen Coe. Probably a lot less quality sound since it is coming out of my computer.

@Mike-Carnell @stanmikel – digital is digital, it all goes into what is converting it from a signal into actual sound waves. Regardless of what you use, it will be better if it uses noise cancelling, that way you hear what was intended.

@Mike-Carnell – I’ve had some amazing sound come from a cd on a computer – using Koss noise cancelling over ear headphones. Mostly comes down to having sufficient power to drive whatever speakers are used. Other than that, it’s filtering (which has subsided in importance with the conversion from analog to digital) and features for stereos – and it’s build construction and quality on speakers. Lighter weight but more rigid speaker materials provide more accurate replication of the original signal. I heard a “sound wall” some time ago and it was awesome. Seemed like it was just sound reflecting off the wall, but was actually the wall being used as a speaker. Because the whole surface was reactive, any range of wave could be created dynamically (instead of tweeters being really tiny and woofers being really massive, this could do all sizes and do so over different positions across the surface).

@StanMikel Here is some good stuff if you haven’t heard it in a while – Carlos Santana. Like that old song Foo Foo.

@spazwhatsup – Oh, I heartily disagree. I think that I’m an expert at many things – tying my shoes, eating with a fork, knife, and spoon, etc. If your point is that we all can learn more and become better people, then yes, I agree.

I like nothing better then to spend time around experts; it always makes me feel smarter. Reminds me of a time a couple years back I had the opportunity to dine with a so called expert and his eye-candy. By the end of dinner, I had more respect for the eye-candy, at least she knew who she really was.

I admit nothing. But like i said, she knew who she really was.

I’m neither confirming nor denying if it was in Miami.

It’s good to be back. Hectic few months, you know how rehab is…

I’m in a new city now, so unfortunately you guys (and girls) will be my social network for a while (until I find out where the cool kids hang out)

Well, I do not consider myself an expert at anything but I think I might be running the risk that people will say I am an expert at having my wife say I am a nice guy and that we are soul mates in our relationship. Anyone who knows me in the business world would not say I am a nice guy nor very good at developing business relationships. I don’t know what it is I do so often to make my wife say such things, but she does. I do know this, I am extremely passionate about being her soul mate and making her happy. I do not plan how to do this, nor do I read “How To Make Your Relationship Better” books.

I am passionate about the profession I have chosen. I am told I am very good at what I do and some comments lead me to believe some people think I am an “expert” in this field. I have never planned how to be an expert in my field nor how to be better at my profession or more knowledgeable about my profession, nor do I read books on the subject of my profession.

The term “expert” is a title. If you want the title as an expert, you will never be an expert. If you are totally passionate about what you do and do what you do because of who you are and the passion you possess for what you do, you run the risk of people titling you as an expert.

Not a rant but a philosophical musing…..

@Mike-Carnell Actually she is making me make her a full lobster dinner tonight to prove the point of making her happy.
My laser doesn’t work, so you are safe. Canadians and Cubans are OK anyway if you don’t talk on your cell phone while driving.

@Mike-Carnell Mike, it may seem BS to you but I do treat my wife this well. $132.58 for 3 lobsters (there is 3 people) and I cook, them and crack them open for her so she just gets the lobster and I make all the trimmings.
I’ve never been home enough not to treat her well when I am. In 31 yrs of marriage, my home time has been about 10 yrs.

@Mike-Carnell I accept the apology, but be assured I was not offended. It is our gift and our profession to detect when something is said that does not fit the data we have at hand. Never thought of the pink X thing before but maybe that why this is my favorite Shainin X?!