GenXmanager: Leadership for the Generation X Manager

Whatever your passion or focus is in life, become an expert at that one thing. As I mentioned in the article about personal branding and delivering value, “Learn everything you can about your area. Stay current on the latest trends. Experiment and try new approaches. Be someone people turn to for information.”

This is more difficult than it initially sounds. Your passion is like a diamond, it has many facets. Becoming an expert in any field or knowledge area takes time, patience, and hard work. You can’t become an expert overnight. Here are some tips for getting you on the road to becoming that wellspring of knowledge you want to be.

Read

This may sound obvious, but immerse yourself in books, websites, blogs, magazines, and journals that are focused on your passion. Get a notebook and jot down important points, experts in the field, and areas where you need to do more research.

Attend conferences

Conferences offer you the opportunity to learn from established experts and mingle with others who share your passion. Exchange business cards and keep in contact with those you meet after the conference. Follow them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, send them an email. Keep in touch. Build your network.

Use Twitter

Scour the Internet for experts and if they are on Twitter, follow them. Following the right individuals and organizations can really enhance your knowledge of a specific subject.

Go to school

Sometimes to be an expert you need more than self-taught knowledge. You may need a degree or certification. For example, if you are passionate about helping others, dream about being a nurse, and want to one day write articles for distinguished nursing journals, you need to first become a nurse and gain years of experience. Even if your passion doesn’t require a degree or certification, taking a class from an experienced teacher can help you on the path to becoming an expert.

Seek mentors

Whether your passion is piloting helicopters, raising chickens, or training executives to be better leaders, seek a mentor. Others have taken the very same journey and most are happy to share their best practices and lessons learned. All you need to do is ask.

Network

Get to know others in the field by going to conferences, exhibitions, workshops, and social gatherings that are focused on your area of passion. Though personal, face-to-face connections are critical, don’t forget to network online. Find message boards, newsgroups, websites, Facebook pages, and blogs where members are discussing your passion. Actively participate. Pose questions. Answer questions. Make insightful comments. Make friends.

Teach

I’ve learned that the best way to solidify your knowledge of something is to teach it. Why? Because you need to know your content well and articulate it to others who want to learn. You can teach well before you’re an expert. Depending on your passion, you can teach at public libraries, community colleges and four-year universities, elementary and high schools, eldercare communities, and corporations.

Do

At some point in your reading, research, and classes you’ll actually need to do what you are learning. If you’re learning how to take great photos you’ll eventually need to go out and practice what you learn. If you’re learning how to speak better in public you’ll need to get yourself in front of an audience and practice your new skills.

Keep learning

Even when you reach a level of knowledge and experience to be considered an expert in your area, keep learning. Don’t sit on your laurels. Too many people and organizations get complacent and forget that in order to stay on top, learning must continue.

These are but a few ways to get you on the path to becoming an expert. Depending on your area of passion, there might be other methods as well.