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This post is in response to the question “Do you think the phrase “we should value expertise, but fear expert power” is true? Is it only true for some forms of expertise, if so which ones?” posed by macie.mcpeak.
Difference Between Expertise and Expert Power
Expertise is generally understood to be someone who has lots of experience and knowledge relating to a certain area. Expert power, on the other hand, refers to someone who has expertise but also is highly valued in a situation. They are seen as desired or respected by people because of their “expert” opinion, giving them opportunities to influence others.
Should We Fear Expert Power?
I believe that we should fear expert power. Having experts is a good thing as they are the ones able to dig deeper into certain areas, and often create opportunities for exploration and innovation in different fields. However, as Dr. Roger Koppl points out in a lecture over his book Expert Failure, experts are often only asked for their opinion about the fields they are considered experts in, creating a potential for looking at circumstances through tunnel vision.
This can lead to misinformed and biased conclusions, unintentional or not. Koppl points out that even “honest errors” can alter the knowledge and opinion-forming of non-experts. Since expert opinions are undoubtedly influential, this means that having an expert control power in a situation leaves less opportunity for other people to question their conclusions, making these errors more probable.
Is This True For All Areas?
I believe expert power is something to be cautious about in all fields, as experts are capable of making mistakes. However, I believe that it matters the most in environments where there are a select few experts that are in control of making decisions for non-experts. When a few are able to make decisions for the many, based on their best judgment, it can cause problems that lead to conflicts and uncertainty. However, it is also important to keep in mind that in certain situations letting the person who knows the most make the decision can be useful, particularly when decisions are needed to be made quickly.
Additionally, when there are multiple people who hold expert power in one area, it allows for an environment that fosters healthy competition which can lead to finding the best possible decision. Overall, it really simply depends on the situation the expert power is held in. However, in general, I think most should be wary of the dangers of expert power and the influence it can have.
Koppl, R. (2020, February 7). Roger Koppl; Expert Failure. YouTube.
