Being an expert does not necessarily mean that one needs years of study under your belt to be able to talk with authority. Unless that is you need those years of study for your chosen profession. Experience also brings expertise. I am talking about “expertis” not time spent in a job, thou this too can be mistaken as expertise. A person can spend years in a job and learn nothing about how to be the best at their job, they are just an automaton treating the previous day the same as the last.
An expert is one that strives to improve their knowledge and work practice in their chosen profession. Of course a Doctor, Nurse, Engineer, Psychiatrist and other professions demand a base level of formal training. But even this base level of training does not make one an expert. Though they can be treated as an expert because their training has given them the position of one, thus people treat them according to their training. (Did you see what is in that sentence)
The key to being an expert is to have others that title you as an expert. Thus experts are made by others and not made by them self.
When others in your profession sees you as an expert and treats you as one, this places the responsibility on you to act as an expert and little scope for diversifying into other fields becomes difficult. Because the expert is highly respected for a specific field and that respect is not transferable to another field. Thus the expert will be dragged back into the expert role of that specific field.
The down fall of being an expert:
- When it goes to one’s head and taking one’s self too seriously.
- Not accepting alternative advice or explanations from others, because you are the expert.
- May create fear in other, thus making the expert seem unapproachable.
- Hinders job change, and diversification.
- Being prone to strong heuristics in judgment calls.
- Being seen as the only person that can perform a specific function.
- Suffer tall poppy syndrome. Others may be sharpening their knives.
Although there are some pitfalls that one needs to watch out for, and if those pitfalls are not an issue. There is great responsibility and prestige that comes with that title of expert.
Expert Power is deemed a personal power because the power is not borrowed from outside the self. Power that is derived from an external source is not Personal Power and once the source is removed, or the person removed from the source, power vacates.
The written word is powerful and I truly hope that there is enough power in these written words of mine, to you the reader, to be able to encourage calm in you – while striving through a similar time of trauma. I am not writing my story of coming to terms with diabetes, as a way of self-help therapy for me. I am hoping that by exposing, and telling you of my traumatic experience as it happened, or better said how I interpreted my trauma to me. Lived and grappled with this occasion, so that maybe you can find similarities in your experience and be able to let go of fear, anxiety, and the feeling of hopelessness. I hope by reading this I will save you the years of searching that I went through, to find that you can still fully enjoy life. Sure our environment, nurturing and circumstances may have carved our inner building blocks of coping in some ways differently to others, we can probably say that we are all different. Are we really that different, in the quest to find the need to accept living with diabetes, I doubt it.
I invite you to come on a journey with me and experience a psychological mental atmosphere, which was at times mind blowing, earth shattering, life changing and also included of a lot of attitude fine-tuning. I am not speaking of my honeymoon or even a naughty weekend (with someone else’s partner). This ongoing journey partner is more permanent than marriage, from that you can get a divorce, although when finally found out can be just as dangerous as that naughty weekend. Wouldn’t you agree that finding out that you or someone you care for has been diagnosed with diabetes, would probably have a greater impact on you than man walking on the moon? I was flat out walking anywhere the day I found out that I am a diabetic, but over the past seven years have found that it is not a death sentence to enjoying life.
Ignorance is it bliss?
I am on the wrong side of fifty and for the past seven years have lived with being diagnosed with diabetes. When I was younger (so much younger than today) I had heard about diabetes but as no one in our family has ever had diabetes, I found it of no interest to find out exactly what this problem was really about, all I knew is that a diabetic suffers from having too much sugar in their system and this caused a variety of problems. What, how and why these problems came about and the following consequences, I felt I did not need to know. I suppose you would know someone in this same position and with a similar attitude that I had before I was diagnosed with having diabetes.
Being found out diagnosed with diabetes.
Thinking back to the day I found out that I had become diagnosed as a diabetic, was when I had been admitted to hospital for excruciating, severe and horrible stomach pains, they seemed worse than giving birth to both my sons, (who have a gap of two years) at once. I was put on painkillers and underwent all sorts of tests, which included blood tests. After two nights and two days in hospital the result was that fortunately there were no internal problems. The pain had subsided, I would need no medications and I was told I could get ready to go home, but another doctor would like to talk to me before I go. I sat on the bed pain free waiting for this doctor, happy to be OK and looking forward to phoning my sons to pick me up to go home.
I had never seen nor did I know this doctor, I can remember he was wearing black trousers a white shirt with tie and a black jacket, suited more to a real-estate salesman or undertaker than doctor. He pulled the curtain shut around my bed, I thought what now? He did not examine me nor had he any intention to examine me, he was accompanied by another nurse from outside the hospital, who he introduced telling me from where she was. All this introduction I really took no notice of, as I knew it would not be long and I will be out of there. This small, thin, unassuming, expressionless individual with a chord held tag around his neck that I imagine read, Doctor, stood at a distance from me and said “I suppose you realize that you have diabetes!” Shock, horror no I did not know I have diabetes, I don’t even really know what “diabetes” really is, I had only come to hospital because of a bellyache. My pains, he said had nothing to do with diabetes and that part is over and I am clear to go home, but, this nurse was from the Diabetic Clinic in this city and I should see her for follow up, also my doctor would be informed and he would give me follow up treatment, handing me a card for the Clinic he and she left. After they left I sat on the bed unable to move, in shock, disbelief, and totally knowing what a stunned mullet felt like. I knew I was still alive because I went to find a phone to call my sons to pick me up telling them “I have diabetes”.
Information power: People in the corporate sector or at high levels of the human service hierarchy may distort or withhold information for their own gains by enhancing their own expert power, thus becoming indispensable to the organisation (Yukl, 2002. p. 152).
This type of power in self-explanatory. A person can either use Information Power to gain power over others by withholding information, or increase their power by passing of information to the right people in the organization or fabricate / make up information to decrease other peoples power or credibility.
Information power can be use like Ecological Power to make one’s-self indispensable to an organization, by being the source of information that the organization needs. Like wise by distorting information to affect others in the organization can cause great stress to the people that this power is aimed at. So be aware that if you use information power to make some ones life difficult, you are using psychological terrorism and may cause great psychological harm. This includes relationships.
We can see on the TV sow A Current Affair (ACA) that now the producers have introduced a competition called Top Minichef for children aged 12 years and less. The competition is conducted via video entries. I commend this form of reward guided behaviour as it does place pride into ones own creation.
Likewise with the competitors of Master chef that were eliminated from the show are now going to schools and being guests at functions promoting cooking skills and having fun at the same time.
Thus I would like to conclude this posting to contrast the positive and negative affects of TV, by saying the TV is a double-edged sword, depending on how it is used it can have positive or negative affects on the comminute, or in some cases disastrous.
I am what I am, and I am a Possum
As individuals, we are not born into a social void. Before a baby is born, a relationship is established between parent and baby, and upon the baby’s first breath the baby is subject to external sensory stimulus (Montagu, 1966. pp. 74-77; Marshall, 1998. p.293). Goode (1978. p. 9), describes babies as being born with instincts, but they are insufficient for self-survival. Instead, these instincts are used to enlist help from others in order to fulfill their needs to survive. Individuals depend upon the relationships with others for survival at all stages of life, all of which are based upon the relationship with the primary care giver in childhood (Montagu, 1966. pp. 74-81; Marshall, 1998. p.293). Bessant & Watts, (2002, pp. 165-166) argue that the relationships between adults and children differ in the modes of language and behaviour in comparison to adult-to-adult relationships, which distinguish age as an identity marker. As a child ages, other identity markers are established, such as dress and the style of music they listen to (Bessant & Watts, 2002. pp. 167-171).
As a child grows, Goode (1964. pp. 78-79) suggests that young people simulate the parent’s political, theological and moral questions tastes in food, clothing and art are also matched, indicating the strength of culture on the family and the intergenerational transference of culture and tradition. Although there is disparity between parents and youth, often manifesting in conflict, this is seen as minimal in comparison with the amount the youth copy their parents (Goode, 1964. pp. 78-79). Thus we can see the identity markers follow from one generation to the next with proficiency.
Montagu (1966, p. 72) argues that from time in memorial, people have been living in groups to ensure survival. It is in these groups that a system of interpersonal behaviour had to be established in order that harmony may be the result. Thus a system of rules and regulations made to increase our survival for our deficits of instincts were devised. Goode (1978. p. 9) further suggests that these rules and regulations are deemed as culture or social norms, and are humanly constructed. In modern societies, culture is passed on to the next generation as if it were a mandate from God, and not a human construction or product (Goode 1978. p. 10). Behaviors and class structures in society, being part of culture (seen as set out by God), have set values that infer that we must live by them.
All constructions of our-selves are defined by language, this is extensively discussed by Marshall (1998. p.294) and further suggests that it is our primary form of communication. With symbolic guttural utterances also known as ‘symbolic interactionism for concrete and abstract constructs, and it is in this realm that we describe ourselves and the world around us. Marshall (1998. p.294) further argues that language, or the meanings that are implied by words, are governed by the cultural setting in which the individual resides. As words have constructed meaning, cultural values are given distinction by words. Thus identity is constructed by socially accepted and constructed words and concepts that describe values, customs, and behavioural norms.
The Swiss structural linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (cited in Marshall, 1998. p.294) suggests that it is by way of words, meanings and values that we define our-selves and the world around us, including our place in it being given meaning/made meaningful, through human constructs of labels such as “good†or “badâ€. What is seen in one culture as virtuous (good) can be viewed as a crime (bad) in another (Bessant & Watts, 2002. p. 138). Practising within human services “labels can be shattering†for the parents of people suffering either a physical or mental ailment and should be investigated in-depth before a label is placed on a person (Groopman, 2007, p. 85). It is these labels that enable a person to create a self-fulfilling prophesy or an excuse for their behaviour. By fixing a label onto a person, that person is seen to be changed forever in the eyes of others (Groopman, 2007, p. 84).
Culture therefore, uses constructs such as Gender (male, female), Age classification (young, old), Ethnicity (birth place, place of residence), Physical stature (height, skin colour, hair colour, etc), Faith, Politics, Profession and Traits (Patience, masculine, feminine, etc) to define our identity. These identity markers, and attempts to demonstrate a pattern of cognition and feelings, that is neither exclusively internal nor external, but is a mixture of both (Bessant & Watts, 2002. p. 135). Montagu (1966. p.75) argues that self-identity is derived from meaningful relationships with others, by means of activities and a sharing of thoughts.
This form of power can be one of the most insidious, because everybody in an organization can play the ecological power game. Ecological power is used both for the thought and care of others, or for causing emotional harm to one specific person or group of people. The physical environment is where we all work, but it can impacts only some people, though when the environment is changed to unite workers it will impact every body in the organization. So let’s explore the Power of the ecological power.
Within an office the environment environmental power is used by a number of people and can be change so the aria is used not only for work but also for meetings or general conversation. We can say that this type of office is a friendly office. It is when the office become over friendly and turns into a social gathering, the office environment then becomes a hindrance to the operations of day to day running of the organization, that’s where ligament power needs to be used to get the office back to functionality again.
BUT what if the physical environment is changed to cause emotional stress for one or more people. Keeping in mind the motivations, if the person is failing in areas of their duties then that person may find that their office space may become a dumping ground for miscellaneous items. Coffee cups, files that need filing, even recent deliveries such as stationary supplies will end up on that person’s desk. This forces the person to either spend more time at their desk doing their job so it does not become the dumping ground or in the opposite direction forcing the person to go out of the office and do their job if that job is not an office intensive job.
Those that have the legitimate use of this power is principally the head of the organization or that department to get the most efficiency in conjunction with those that use the office.
Within the home environmental power can be used to enhance the relationship or erode it. When love is alive and doing well we think about the comforts of the other person and thus do things that would make you happy, imagining that the other person would also be happy. This could be in the fact that the house is cleaned and maintenance is prompt, the garden and lawn is kept. But when misinterpretation happens, then an error is compounded with unintentional emotional harm. Just think … if the one partner likes to have a nice sorted workshop and the other party and a messy arts room. That person that in neat cleans the art room, the art person may get irate over the efforts.
Power over the operations:
This type of power controls the operations of the daily running of the organization and the job duties of the workers or worker. The best way of explaining this power is in an example… In the cooking industry the chef has control over the kitchen environment and the duties of the individual workers. While talking to chefs, about people that worked under them some interesting descriptions of work practices arose.
When there is a person that does not a team player:- does not pull their weight, keep messing things up, or even just have a personality conflict, this power is evoked. There are laws protecting workers in Australia against unfair dismissal, thus the duties are changed for the worker to provoke the individual to quite, by giving them all the “bad†jobs. This occurs in all types of professions in different ways.
Another way is to use operations power is to making ones power felt with in the organization, by changing small details at a whim. This can include meeting times and dates, changing small details within the work place such when workers can go to lunch, changing shift times, or protocols within the pollicies and procedures.
Operations power is also used in ways to create opportunities for favored individuals, and by give them the best jobs. In the work place this type of power has a nick name … “Jobs for the boysâ€â€¦
In the home operations power is far more emotional when it is used to harm or spite the partner. The passive aggressive use of operations power is used for emotional war faire. When chores are not done or requests are not fulfilled is common and causes relationship stress. When operations power is used in an active aggressive manner, things get interesting with some outrages imaginations working overtime. The most common form of changing the operations of the home is creating distrust through spending money irresponsibly, and cheating. But there was one situation I recall where one partner was upset with the other and placed the partners loved pet in the freezer.
Power over technology:
Having knowledge of new technology or technology in general wile other people in the work place have limited knowledge of that technology is a powerful power in this computer age. There is a potential of taking advantage of this power by refusing to pass on the knowledge and making ones self indispensable to the hierarchy. This also refers to systems knowledge, knowledge over filing systems, or procurement protocols again attempting to make one-self indispensable.
The down side of this power is that the one using this power creates a myth of expertise for themselves, thus promotion and other opportunities are handed on to others, because that person is too valuable in that position.
With in the home this power is respected at first, having technology culturally divided by gender. The female has the knowledge of white goods technology, ie. Washing machine, sewing machine, etc. and the male dealing with outside technology, ie. Lawn mower, car maintenance, etc. Both people in the relationship do their respective part in using their knowledge to keep the relationship stable. But when the relationship is in trouble the couple take advantage of the partner’s lack of knowledge in their technology, holding the power over them.
I have talked about how people Copy Cat TV and how Television Violence Causes Aggressive Behaviour, So I continue to illiterate how people are more than ready to copy high profile people, and the only thing that makes these people “High Profile” is the fact that they are on TV… If it would no be for this medium they would not be readily recognized by people out side their social group.
In the Sun-Herald (Australia) Published on the 26/6/2009 page 13 … We find another article half a page in size describing how a TV show “MasterChef” has influenced people. The article documents the increase of sales in cooking equipment that would normal not be used in the the common house hold Kitchen ……
There has also been a rise in hospital treatments of kitchen injuries consisting of burns and knife cuts, primarily on the fingers. The article also accentuates the dangers inherent in food peroration, and further announces “But for the Masterchef broadcaster Ten there is no pain at all” (Scott Ellis, 26/6/09, The Sun-Herald p.13) shown in the TV show, which demonstrates that the consequences of working in a dangers environment needs special care.
“As contestants slice and burn themselves each week. MasterChef related injuries are on the rise among fans.” (Scott Ellis, 26/6/09, The Sun-Herald p.13).
Ripple Affect is just that as we see it here …. The TV show is the Effect and the Affect is rippling out into society, creating side affects that would not have been thought of. It is only through observation of these affects that future affects can be bought to light faster.
The reason I like highlighting the influences that TV has on society or individuals is to show individuals that we should only believe half of what we see, and that there is a ripple affect that follows.
Griffith University is looking at the affects that TV and the transmission of Ideas to a large taxonomy of social strata… I have not had a look at the documentation the vignette bellow is enticing. You can find it within this the Successful 2002 Discovery Projects Grants by Institution – contents document.
DP0211274
Administering Organisation: Griffith University
Dr Albert Moran
Dr MA Keane
Mr AO Thomas
Mr JE MalbonTitle: Economic, Legal and Cultural Dynamics of TV Format Flows in the Asia/Pacific Region
Category: 4001 – JOURNALISM, COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
Summary:
Globalisation affects all nation-states, especially through TV systems. Little is known about the extended circumstances of these changes, especially the role played by transfer of ideas and techniques, particularly program formats. This investigation of the international dimension of national TV systems in Asia and the Pacific develops a comparative analysis of complex patterns of contemporary economic, legal and cultural sovereignty. By studying national, sub-regional and regional currents in TV “copycatting”, we will generate significant lessons for TV industries, media policy and legal protection. A book analysing the meaning of format flow will become a landmark in the field.
Using the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) theory to describe schemas makes it a bit easier to understand schemas and how personality comes about by behaviour that is really deeply embedded in habit. There are several tests for IQ, which I will not go into, other than to say that they measure success at predicting academic skills, but Conventional IQ tests do not do a great job at predicting work place success. IQ has several Sub-tests which are listed below:
- Verbal skills
- Mathematical skills
- Spatial Skills
- Bodily-kinesthetic skills
- Musical skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Intrapersonal skills
- Naturalist Skills
So when we use the same theory that IQ is made of several Sub Components, Personality I feel works in the same way. We have a vast amount of individual schemata that make up personality… being scripts of behaviour for what to do in what situation. This Diagram 1 shows the parallels the dimensions between IQ and personality … As I see it. Though this is seen as untestable, though the concept of EQ (Emotional Quotient) does a good job at measuring Interpersonal and Intrapersonal skills, to predict work place success.
By using this model to visualize schemas and how the personality is formed by all of our experiential learning, we can understand that personality is neither unchangeable nor static in time. As schemas slowly change over time or suddenly with an impacting moment, personality then changes in that realm where the schema affects the situational response script in our personality.
These schemas affect our:
- Motivations
- How we interpret facial expressions
- Relationship styles
- Customer relations
- Power demonstrations (ie. obtaining obedience in others)
- Self Control
- Self speak
- Self image
- Self worth
- How we want other to perceive our self
- Etc……
Should you feel that you would like to work on some aspect of your life that you have identified as being in need of changing or enhancing – please contact me.
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