Getting Started in Wireless: Expertise and Influence

Getting Started in Wireless: Expertise and Influence

By CWNP On 10/29/2013 - 7 Comments

Written By: Tom Carpenter
Expertise is important when it comes to success as a wireless networking engineer or administrator. However, exceptional success comes from being an influential expert. The difference between an expert and an influential expert is that the influential expert has moved to the creative level.
 
When it comes to expertise, you can measure it at one of five levels for a given domain:

1. Unconscious incompetence = Wanderer
2. Conscious incompetence = Beginner
3. Conscious competence = Professional
4. Unconscious competence = Expert
5. Creative competence = Influential Expert

Of course, to have any level of success, you must reach the professional level at a minimum, but you should be striving for expertise. But what then? What do you do, for example, if you’re a CWNE, a CCIE or simply have advanced knowledge and experience in your industry? The answer is that you move to the influential expert level through creativity.
 
In the July/August edition of the Harvard Business Review this last year, an excellent article on “How Experts Gain Influence” suggested four methods:

• Trailblazing – finding new applications for your expertise
• Toolmaking – developing tools for other experts to use
• Teamwork – coupling your expertise with others’ for synergistic effects
• Translation – helping decision makers understand complex concepts

Ultimately, combining all four has the greatest impact on your ability to influence through your expertise.
 
How can you take your competencies to the next level (for example from professional to expert or from expert to influential expert)? What creative ideas do you have for the wireless networking industry? We'd love to see your comments below!

Tagged with: wireless, expertise, influence, methods, experts, success

Blog Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within these blog posts are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Certitrek, CWNP or its affiliates.