People have varying passions and differing skill-sets.

You’ll go on to become better at some things, whilst getting worse at others. You’ve probably not done certain things since you were a child. Perhaps you’ve forgotten how to ice skate whilst you learned how to manage projects. Perhaps you’ve forgotten how to skip stones whilst you learned how to drive. We consistently trade certain pieces of knowledge and skill-sets for others.

As you improve in the things that are within your scope and focus, you’ll be considered an expert by some. The better you get at the skill you’ve chosen to devote your time – and perhaps life – to, the more that people will notice. They’ll come to you for help, they’ll get into conversations with you about the topics at hand, and they’ll seek to learn from you. This article proposes three things to remember whilst dealing with novices in the field you’ve become an expert in.

They Always Have Something to Offer

Adopt the mindset of being willing to learn from everybody, including absolute beginners in the field you’re considered an expert in. Adopting a learner’s mindset when dealing with novices in your field entails treating them with respect and careful observation. You can learn things such as common missteps that novices take whilst learning about your field. Use that knowledge and apply it to your expert experience. You can be reminded of certain fundamentals which you’ve long since forgotten about, as you’ve progressed in skill and expertise. Dealing with beginners in the fields we’re experts in, does well to remind us of things we’ve forgotten and consistently overlook. Use the things you observe about beginners in your field to improve yourself going forward.

In doing so, you’ll instinctively treat beginners as your equals. You’ll start to give them breathing room to try new things, make mistakes, and learn to correct them all whilst collecting information for yourself to learn from. You’ll become more patient with their learning as you become invested in the process yourself. The mindset of being willing to learn, even as an expert, communicates a sense of respect toward the person who’s less experienced. They’ll pick up on this level of camaraderie, and will be encouraged to take their role of learning seriously.

Present Answers Nonchalantly and Only When the Time Is Right

It’s enticing to jump the gun and share our knowledge with others. We’re egotistical beings – teaching others does well to communicate just how much we know. It serves to impress listeners. It can also serve to intimidate and dissuade beginners from continuing on their journey of learning about the field of your expertise.

There will be moments during which it is most right for certain knowledge to be exposed: Rather than reminding a novice driver to turn their blinker on when they don’t yet need to switch lanes, give them the reminder just as they’re preparing to do so. Try not to overwhelm your listeners with your knowledge. Remember, their frame of mind is drastically different than yours. Things that are astoundingly obvious to you are complete mysteries to them. Be patient in when you deliver the knowledge you possess. Find the perfect moments to do so. Present knowledge without any flash or extras. Be surgical in your presentation of the perfect advice at the perfect time.

Do Not Comment on Their Ignorance, Only Look Forward

Beginners will get things wrong. Prepare yourself to witness embarrassing mistakes. Prepare yourself to oversee terrible decisions, and prepare yourself to be surprised at how little some people know about the things you find important. Even if you’re good at not commenting on just how unskilled someone is at a certain task, they’ll likely be self conscious enough to mention their terrible performance themselves. Do not agree or laugh along.

Make no insinuations as to just how unskilled they are. Ensure to always look forward at what’s ahead rather than what was missing in the past. Look for what’s to be gained from mistakes, rather than simply attempting to stop them. Be careful how you handle those who consistently under-perform. Strive to only teach them how to improve, rather commenting on how wrong they are without any beneficial advice to follow. Stick to presenting advice in a manner which looks to the future over that which obsesses about the past. Rather than starting with, “You should’ve…” begin your dialogue with, “Next time, you should…”

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