With the high demand for a Subject Matter Expert's knowledge comes both opportunities and challenges. Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift away from more generalist skills and a larger focus on becoming a specialist. This has been driven by global shifts in technology and the overall pace of development. Rapid innovation has been key to driving specialisation. Training oneself to become an expert in your field is crucial. It goes without saying that you should study up and stay abreast of the latest developments in your area of specialisation. (What may be relevant today could be obsolete tomorrow.) Here are several capabilities and credentials that any Subject Matter Expert must have:
A wealth of knowledge is crucial for Subject Matter Experts. It's not just the fundamentals here. Understanding and keeping abreast of the latest thinking relating to your area of specialisation, attending conferences, and connecting with other thought leaders in the space are essential. You would want to broaden your depth of knowledge and explore even those with contradictory views.
SMEs should be flexible in their approach and open to new ideas that may even test their own constructs. Sometimes areas of specialisation overlap and require an SME to develop a new set of skills or bank of knowledge in order to remain relevant.
Subject Matter Experts are renowned for their research abilities. If an SME has a gap in their knowledge, they feel compelled to fill in the blanks by researching it. This drives them to continuously feed their curiosity and learn new things, whether directly related to the field or not. An SME, by very definition, does not spread themselves too thin across too many fields.
(P.S. SMEs are always ready to seize new learning opportunities.)
Experts in their fields tend to be proactive people. They take initiative and have a relentless dedication to their work. This is relevant to every facet of their professional lives. When a Subject Matter Expert is needed to assist with the completion of content, they may have to put in extra hours and go the extra mile. However, to avoid exhaustion, they find ways to balance their work and personal lives.
Finding the best approach is crucial, and Subject Matter Experts are often excellent problem-solvers. As an SME, one must summarise the information in a way that everyone can understand. SMEs must be careful in an operational environment and not fall into the trap of becoming “academic” – implementation of knowledge to achieve defined outcomes is critical for success and is where an SME can show the most value.