I am thankful for subject matter experts!
Last summer, I started suffering from plantar fasciitis. It’s a condition in which a band of tissue along the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed. It can cause severe pain after periods of immobility (sitting, sleeping, e.g.). That pain can be magnified from activity.
I thought I knew from reading the all-knowing internet and from my wife’s experience with plantar fasciitis over the last two years how to treat it. I did some stretching, took ibuprofen when it really hurt, and rolled my foot over a frozen water bottle a couple times a day. After a few months of admittedly half-hearted “treatment,” nothing had changed. So I gave up.
After eight months of little progress, I went to a podiatrist who referred me to a physical therapist. The physical therapist evaluated me and assigned specific stretches to do three times a day (which took me ~15 minutes each session). She set a goal for me to be back to running up to 2 miles within 4 weeks and then normally after 6 weeks. She knew I hoped to play ultimate frisbee again this summer.
The physical therapist checked on me weekly and modified the assigned stretches based on progress. After less than 6 weeks, I woke up in the mornings and noticed the pain from the plantar fasciitis was gone!
Going to a subject matter expert who took time to know me, my present condition, and my desires made all the difference! Well, that and me following her prescription diligently.
In my professional career, I’ve noticed that passionate, smart, and capable people can do any number of things. For example, a lawyer or an HR professional can figure out how to put on a conference. But, it won’t be as good as one designed and implemented by a conference professional. And it will take a lot longer to do the work.
Just because you’re not paying a contractor to help you doesn’t mean you’re saving money. How much time will the non-experts spend creating their subpar substitute for a professional’s work? How much time does that mean they’re not working on what you hired them to do? And how frustrated will those individuals be at having to spend so much of their time on something that isn’t their strength?
Just because someone can doesn’t mean they should.
Subject matter experts know what you know and what you don’t. They know a variety of ways to help you accomplish your mission. They can learn what each of your department’s pain points are and help reduce those pain points while delivering a service that can make your team more efficient and your organization more sustainable.
What’s that worth?
Of course not every person holding themselves out as a subject matter expert really is. And costs vary. But you can be a savvy shopper and hire contractors just as you would an employee. Vet them, conduct reference checks, and create contracts with clear expectations and consequences.
Focus your time on what you do best. Trust your internal and external subject matter experts. As you do, you might learn something, too. Like I did: a little humility and appreciation for other professionals!