Episode 24 : You Are A Subject Matter Expert

Her Career Ladder

Hello, everybody, I am back again. Tonight, we are going to talk about some very important areas of your career, we're really gonna focus on your area where you're an expert, you're subject matter expert, and oftentimes, especially for analytical people who may not even have PhDs, right? When you have a PhD, like, Oh, I know exactly what I study. I'm this narrow, right. But for others of us, who are scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians, you still have a place a lane, I like to say where you're a subject matter expert.
And oftentimes, especially when you're in the work, you forget, you don't realize that you've developed a certain set of skills, and you have certain experiences, which have led you to become a subject matter expert. And too often, we don't realize that and I work with a lot of Latina black and indigenous women who don't realize it, because they're always tasked with doing so much work. And they're really good at it.
They're actually excellent at it. And they don't understand this. So what I want to do tonight, is really spend some time talking about where your subject matter expert. And what is that skill set that you've developed to become a subject matter expert. And so some of you are going like, Michelle, I'm not a subject matter expert, I've only been working in this field five years, 10 years, 12 years 15. Trust me, when I say this, you're putting in time. So oftentimes they do a number like oh, it takes 10,000 hours before you're an expert in something.
Maybe it's an average. I'm just saying, y'all know, numbers and people. So if you think about the average job, right, the average job that you're working, you're going to see, let's say 40 hours a week, there are 52 weeks in a year. That's 2000 hours. You haven't a year. So in five or six years, when you take some vacation has holidays, you're an expert in something. What is that something?
So now you can't tell me? Oh, I'm only done 1015? Year? I'm giving you six? Okay, so what is it that you are? You're an expert in? So you're like, Michelle, I don't know what you mean by this expert, this subject matter expert. So let's just talk about a formal definition. A subject matter expert is someone who is an authority in a particular area or topic, what is that area of topic? Is an instrument and controls? Is it some type of Java, right coding that you're really good in, but you do it in a very specific niche, let's say in Health Tech products, right.
So you coat products that are used in hospitals, let's say, in cardiology, like that, that like we're getting that specific. And it could be a bit broader as well. But you have this particular and you're able to create this code to, to find anomalies right in hearts. Right? Maybe that's something you're really good at?
I don't know, is that a thing? This term is used when you're developing materials about a topic expertise on the topic is needed by the personal personnel developing the material. So let's say if you had to give a speech today, at a professional conference here on a live stream, to your family, specific to your industry or anything in life, what is that thing that you could talk about?
And literally do it without putting together a presentation off the top of your head, you could talk for 15 to 30 minutes to an hour even to to break down and explain to other people what this thing is. That is your area of expertise. Right? Some of you is going to be manufacturing.
Right. Others of you is going to be how to project manage something, but they're in there you have your you're an expert in this. So if we take you out of let's say this, Mitch, you're in. Let's look at that skill set that you've developed. What skill set Have you developed in your career that now has led you to become the subject matter expert. Now, when we talk about skill set, we're talking About your competencies, your knowledge and your abilities to do certain types of work that's also wrapped into your experiences, right. So certain things you will learn, you will learn in a classroom, you will learn by doing. And you will learn by using it in particular instances. So those experiences.
Now, oftentimes, when we think about skill sets, we think about communication or computer skills, right? Time management, but we also be talking about Leadership, Research and Planning, and of course, engineering, development, developing something as well. So what is that those core was that core skill set you have, that you've developed, that you possess, that you still now roll over into your area of expertise, where you are subject matter expert, write those down, and you're like, Michelle, I'm not sure what it is. Okay, so let's take a step back. Go through your emails, text messages, voicemails, and even recall conversations or meeting notes, where people have asked you to do certain things, what is what is the recurring things they're asking you to do. And sometimes it is at a higher level, and you have to dig deeper to understand, understand what their skill set is, what type of problem you're solving, what are you truly bringing, but it'll start you to get to, to really think about what is your skill set? And what were your subject matter expert. And it's really important to hone in on that because it helps you to understand how you can take that skill set and go to different industries and attack different problems. And also where you're a subject matter expert that you want to own in your technical space, and to drive you to different places in your career. All right. So that is the message for today. So go and find out where you are a subject matter expert, yes. Because you truly are. Remember, we did the calculations?
What are your subject matter expert? And let us know, let me know in the comments. Also assess what skills and experience you have. What are your top three skills? I won't have you do your entire entire skill set? But what are your top three skills? Is are you able to negotiate well, are you able to figure out Re and I and I've run into a couple of developers who are very good at taking apart current processes within their organization that are very intricate, and figuring out a way to write code that truly transform decision making within their organizations. And they have literally done it alone and their teams have been like, Oh, you're going to screw this up. That's not going to work. And they literally did what I call the Henny Penny, if you don't know what a Henny Penny story is, my mother had a daycare for over 30 years. So let me tell you the story. So Henny Penny is on a farm. Henny Penny is a chicken, a man hen, I'm sorry, hitting is a hand.
So hynny buys a piece of wheat. And she goes tell the other farmers Hey, I got this piece of wheat, who will help me grind it to flour, and then go like that's too much work who has time for that. So she goes and she grinds that wheat to flour. So she comes back to the farm animals again and say hey, I have the flour, who wants to help me make this into DOH? Doh, who has time for that that's too much work. I'm not going to do that. She then goes and makes the dough bakes the bread. And now everybody wants a slice.
So understand you are putting in great work. You have this level of expertise. Others are not don't have it, they don't have the drive for it. And you don't even see the talent that you really possess. So I want you to think about what what areas are you a subject matter expert and then go assess what your skills and experiences you've had to make you a subject matter expert and what are your top three skills? Yes, do that let me know because I'm truly truly interested in finding out. Alright everybody have a great day and I will be back later.