Playing the Expert Game

If . . .

• you are able to get important things done
• you are seen learning things on your own
• you are seen trying to do things even if you aren’t sure how
• you share freely the things that you know
• you don’t hide your ignorance, but also don’t rest on it
• you honor what other people know
• you know more often than not how to find out what you don’t know
• you know how to ask for help
• you offer to help people on their own terms

Then . . .

• no one will care whether you succeed by learning or succeed by already knowing
• no one will care if you mess up occasionally because they assume you learn from it
• no one will mind if you forget (or don’t know) any given fact or method at any given time
• you will be treated as if you’re smart and useful, even though everyone knows you have a lot to learn

— Jonathan Bach, “Playing the Expert Game”