Organizations depend on subject matter experts for broad and diverse purposes. Typically, SMEs are the keepers of collective corporate knowledge and the visionaries of product potential. Sometimes, they serve as company spokespersons or litigators. SMEs are routinely expected to identify the sources of vexing problems, implement solutions to those problems, and mitigate damages. They are expected to know things other people do not know, and they are expected to do things other people cannot do. Whether they are in engineering, law, medicine, finance, or some other field, SMEs must either know things well or be able to do things well (or most commonly, both at once). Even when knowledge and competence are established, however, an SME’s purpose is not accomplished. To the contrary, knowledge and competence are just the beginning of an SME’s job, not the end. Once knowledge and competence are firmly in hand, an SME can begin to deliver what is most needed: trust, vision, and delivery.
Establish Trust. SMEs must be masters at building and maintaining trust. No one in a corporation is better positioned than an SME to establish trust, and no one should be more capable of obtaining it. Top SMEs trust themselves and others. They don’t display fear or discouragement. They are calm and confident.
Determine Mutual Vision. SMEs see and share a vision for the future. They recognize opportunities quickly and craft compelling solutions. They articulate the beginning, the end, and the path that connects the two. All great SMEs have vision, and they plant that vision in the hearts and minds of their audience.
Ensure Delivery. Experienced SMEs deliver desired results with a grace and consistency that others cannot match. Repeatable, flawless execution is the valuable feature that distinguishes great SMEs from average professionals.
The rest of this book is built around these three important objectives. Of course, other things are important to SMEs, but these three things matter most. If I worked with or managed SMEs in any capacity, I would remind them frequently of the importance of establishing trust, determining mutual vision, and ensuring delivery. For SMEs, everything fits within one of these three categories, or it must be relegated to second place.
