Often SMEs are not the final decision makers. Instead, they are counselors to the decision makers. In these situations, the SME gives guidance and advice, then allows the decision maker to select a course of action.

Helping other people make decisions can be frustrating and discouraging. Helplessly watching as a person rejects or ignores your advice and then suffers needlessly can be agonizing. Unfortunately, it is familiar territory for SMEs. You will be rejected or ignored more than you will be heeded. And, as an SME, the more strongly you cajole decision makers, the more ineffectual your recommendations will become.

As a counselor you cannot force people to do what you want. You can only give them good advice and allow them to govern themselves. Within the limitations of the counseling process, however, there are a few ideas SMEs should follow.

First, lay out the best options. Researchers have shown that experts see more alternatives than other people, they weigh and value each alternative quicker, and they know which alternatives require the least amount of work. Great SMEs consider the many options and then, when they are asked, outline the best options first.

Second, make your recommendation clear. Too often I hear SMEs make two, three, or even ten recommendations for any given problem. Just because you considered the options before making a recommendation doesn’t mean your audience must climb your entire decision tree. Cut to the chase. Eliminate unnecessary caveats and qualifiers. Don’t hedge. When asked for a recommendation, be bold and unequivocal.

Three, keep your constituents out of trouble. Don’t allow your audience to walk blindly off a cliff. One of the responsibilities of SMEs is to protect people and assets from danger. If your recommendation or one of the options a decision maker is considering carries dangers (physical, emotional, mental, financial, political, or otherwise), be sure that person understands it. Be sure the risks are enumerated and appropriately highlighted.

Fourth, avoid the temptation to say, “I told you so.” When the decision maker rejects your counsel and eventually tastes the bitter fruit you explicitly warned against, it may be hard not to say those words. But this is when great SMEs stand out. This is when your character and wisdom will be noted. Don’t gloat in the disappointment of others.

And fifth, support the decision after it is made. Don’t whine and pout about decisions. Even when the decision maker rejects your recommendation, you can almost always find a way to support the decision. A rejected recommendation is not a rejection of you. Nor does it mean that your value to the organization is diminished. To the contrary, decisions are difficult. Leaders rarely keep all their constituents happy. Prove that you can be supportive regardless of which side of the decision you landed on.

Embrace your role as a counselor. Few people get the chance to influence top decision makers, and fewer make a meaningful impact when they do. Lay out the options, offer a clear recommendation, provide appropriate warnings, never use “I told you so,” and get behind the decision maker after the decision is made. These ingredients will maximize your impact and increase the likelihood that you will continue to be sought as a counselor.