Confident and Humble Expert or Arrogant Expert

Charles Reiling, President and CEO of CoastalOne

We will encounter and experience ‘experts’ in our lives when we require help. Their character and personalities will be different. These experts can come across as overconfident and arrogant or confident and humble. Both types might know their subject matter expertise yet only one may realize how to communicate it in a palatable manner.

Charles Reiling is the president and CEO of CoastalOne, and he’s witnessed the differences too.

“Throughout my career, I have come across many confident and humble experts, as well as a handful of overconfident and arrogant experts. In regards to those who are overconfident and arrogant, I'm not even sure you can truly refer to them as experts,” he asserts.

Respect, understanding of, and empathy for the listener, as well as the skill level of communication, go a long way towards determining the status of competency.

“Many overconfident experts are cavalier when discussing topics they think they are experts on and do not choose their words wisely, but even those that know their subject matter well can't truly be considered experts if they can't explain those topics and share their expertise in a thoughtful and humble way,” Reiling says.

The reason is clear and obvious in his mind.

“No one wants to take advice and learn from experts if they come off as overconfident or arrogant, or even worse, if they seem like they are talking down to those they are trying to explain concepts to. Sharing knowledge and expertise should not be used as an opportunity to brag or toot your own horn,” Reiling says.

What is much preferable in most people’s minds is self awareness, self control and a willingness to be of value in a self assured yet modest way.

“In regards to the confident and humble expert, I think of someone who thinks carefully before opining on something, is careful with the words they choose, and is conscious in always delivering accurate information. But above all, the confident and humble expert does these things and imparts their knowledge in a manner that doesn't speak down to or belittle the person they are trying to explain concepts to,” Reiling says.

“They impart their knowledge and expertise with the ultimate goal of sharing that knowledge - not trying to inflate their ego or seem superior for being more knowledgeable.”

Reiling says these high expectations and standards are not just for others with which he engages, but also for himself.

“When someone asks me for my expert opinion on certain topics I'm qualified to speak on, I'm very conscious to stick to the topic of the request and offer what I know to be true, as opposed to cavalierly throwing information - or even worse, pseudo-information - out there,” he says as a matter of respect for an audience, whether it be a person or group.

“And of course, I always try to remember the importance of explaining concepts that can sometimes be difficult to grasp in a way that's easy to understand, with patience, and with the ultimate goal of informing rather than showing off my expertise,” he says.

It’s important that confidence and humility emerge when an expert really doesn’t have sufficient knowledge or firm grasp of information as bluster comes across transparently and doesn’t build rapport or build and earn trust and respect.

“If I am asked to weigh in on something that I don't consider myself to be an expert on, it's important to be able to admit when you don't know something and have the humility to sometimes say ‘I don't know.’”