FOUR STUDENTS WROTE A LETTER TO THE DEAN , COMPLAINING BITTERLY ABOUT MY TASKING THEM AND MY REPLY SHOOK EVERYONE TO THE CORE, I SHOWED THEM WHY THEIR TASKS WERE LEGIT. I AM A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT. I DON’T FEEL LIKE A FRAUD ANY MORE.
ANOTHER TIME, I ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND ARGUED ABOUT THINGS BEING SAID ABOUT A 2 YEAR PROJECT THAT MADE PEOPLE FROM TWO CONTINENTS PAY ATTENTION. BEFORE THAT I DID FEEL GUILTY.I FELT LIKE A FRAUD.
YOU TOO CAN DO THINGS TO STOP FEELING LIKE A FRAUD. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR ONLINE BIZ WONT TAKE OFF BECAUSE YOU ARE A FRAUD? DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WILL GET CRITICIZED FOR YOUR POOR PERFORMANCE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SEE THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND EXPOSE YOU FOR YOUR SHALLOW EFFORTS??
I HAD THESE FEARS. THREE COLLEAGUES BEHAVED AS THOUGH I DID NOT HAVE MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE AND THAT I SHOULD NOT TRAIN ANY ONE. I RESPONDED SWIFTLY. I MADE ME A CHECKLIST FOR THAT TRAINING COURSE EVALUATION. I DOCUMENTED EVERYTHING. I DISCOVERED SOMETHING: THEIR CRITICISM HURT BECAUSE I FELT LIKE A FRAUD WHEN I SHOULD NOT HAVE.
After 15 years, I now know that I am an expert in 5-7 areas, including analytics.
Do I feel like an expert. Nope! I just stopped feeling like a fraud.
A family member called about a problem and I trouble shot that , and provided seven tips.
A colleague wanted a spare part and I listed 14 stores with information on free shipping and rebates without even thinking deeply about it.
A colleague was turning a manuscript and I was able to point out conceptual errors and conflicting statements that others did not point out. A multi-year grant renewal depended on it. THAT’S WHEN I REALIZED THAT EVERYONE NEEDS A CHECKLIST. I CREATED A CHECKLIST FOR YOU TOO TO GAUGE HOW GOOD YOU ARE.
Now I want you to answer these questions:
- What was a problem you COULD solve?
- What was your BEST project and why?
- Did you get there over-night?
- What would you not do now that you did before?
- What was a problem that you could NOT solve before?
If you have a good, long answer than you are in a position to write about that. this makes you an expert. you need to sit down and make a list of things you like doing at your job. I love creating research plans, curricula, and TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN newbies in coding. i love the realization that they can be taught simple algorithms in an hour. In 2009, I was really scared of charging. Now from masters students to undergraduates and AP subject test takers, I have a wait-list of trainees, wanting the best..
Now after years, I feel that one on one is not as fulfilling. I would do it, but you would have to be family or a friend or a recommendation from my mentors.
Use my checklist to see what kind of expertise you have.
Example: The trainee episode.
I had a trainee who said she felt like a fraud and I said she needed to study and practice, Her friend said: “Alwynn IS not an expert but he is training, apparently, you can do the same! LOL. ”
I said to him: Any day, I can write or talk or develop a presentation without using the web to created a well cited article. I can give you an elevator pitch. I can talk about the equipment and the systems you would need to handle the very projects that are BEING FUNDED RIGHT NOW BY THE DEPARTMENT.
He was shocked. I was more shocked. I really was an expert because I could out-do a couple of others. I actually heard a story that made it worth while. I was absent, because i had to attend a meeting. Someone from the department needed an answer to what an editor had said. They needed it fast. They put together an answer that was inadequate and their manuscript was rejected. Also they cast aspersions on this hapless student on her data. I came back to chaos after my trip.
I then wrote a letter to the editor and the critics saying that the the archival and the introduction of new data sets, and the deletion of old data sets was not a documented procedure. This could lead to a shift. Its the ability to distinguish between relevant information (true positives) and false positives. I got some much deserved recognition from my colleagues. I am sure you have AHA moments like this. Isn’t it time you blogged? I know I would love to hear from you!! Please send a link and I will read it .
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