I was recently working with a team that provides specialist skills to their wider organisation. Their motivation was simple – to share their expertise to best support their colleagues, whilst helping to move their organisation toward its strategic goals.

As the number of change initiatives grew and colleagues’ time became more limited, the team noticed a shift. Although many valued their input, their advice was increasingly sought by others only at the point of approval. This was far from ideal for everyone involved.

When this happened, rather than the team being given opportunity to offer insight and guidance early to help ensure success, partnership and collaboration was being traded for process and compliance. In some cases, their involvement was beginning to feel more like a hurdle than a help. This led to papers running to hundreds of pages of nuanced technical detail, often without context on why the work was being done or what problem it aimed to solve, being submitted for approval without prior engagement. It was an outcome nobody wanted or enjoyed, and one that could easily have been avoided through a few early conversations at the right time.

In an initiative to reset this dynamic, discussions explored what it means to be recognised by others as a pragmatic expert, not just as a reviewer at the end but as a partner who helps shape stronger outcomes from the start. I shared what we at Informed Solutions see as the key behaviours of high-performing experts, which resonated, so I am sharing these more widely for others to consider.

This article is written both for those who are experts and those who rely on them. Expertise works best when both sides engage early and openly – and I offer this from a place of helping to promote the idea of raising the tide on all shores.

Rethinking What ‘Expert’ Actually Means

By the book (read Dictionary), the term expert refers to someone with a “high level of knowledge or skill relating to a particular subject or activity”. Not being the most precise term, it is often used loosely, with no clear proof points to test whether something truly was “expert advice” or whether an individual genuinely warrants the title.

Throughout the remainder of this piece, I will be using ‘expert’ in its broadest sense – not just to include mastery of craft, but equally how it is shared and applied with others.

At Informed, we believe that being an expert is not a label; it is a standard. It is a standard we hold ourselves and each other accountable to. It is not a checkbox that gets ticked once you have acquired a certain number of qualifications. Qualifications only show what someone knows, which is a starting point, not the finishing line. Real expertise is not about regurgitating exam answers that assume ideal conditions. It is about using knowledge to deliver tangible outcomes in circumstances where timelines must be honoured and challenges may arise along the way, but always leaving others better off for having worked with you.

This view broadens the textbook definition. It focuses on how expertise is applied in practice – how knowledge is used to guide, strengthen, and enable others. While that makes the term a little less tidy for everyday use, it captures the intent more honestly. Expertise is as much about its impact as its depth. Seen this way, expertise becomes a shared exchange – it grows in value when both the expert and those who draw on them approach it as collaboration, not transaction.

In that sense, what follows describes not just what an expert is, but what they bring to the table when they apply their skills and insight with openness and generosity.

You can probably recall working with teammates who clearly met the mark and others who, despite strong credentials on paper, didn’t. So, what are the signs of a real expert, and how would you spot one in a crowded room? Watch their behaviour, because the signals below often give them away.

Experiencing an Expert: Spotting a Real Specialist

True expertise can often be recognised through the way someone engages. When a person speaks with both depth and passion, offering insights that help shape direction rather than dominating discussion and throwing up blockers to progress, it becomes clear that their knowledge is rooted in genuine understanding and a commitment to improving the work itself and the context in which it needs to be delivered.

They work alongside others rather than in isolation, actively drawing on different perspectives to strengthen thinking. They make partnership part of their practice, seeking context before offering solutions. They do not hoard knowledge or posture as the sole authority; instead, they share it openly and invest in helping others grow, knowing stronger teams create stronger outcomes.

Confident in what they know, they welcome constructive debate to improve the outcome rather than to protect ego. Great minds may think alike, but the best ones consider how that thinking will translate into practice and successfully land, rather than existing in theory alone.

When decisions need to be made, they weigh the evidence, act with sound judgement, and take ownership of the outcome rather than retreating behind process or ambiguity. Their focus is always on meaningful progress, balancing short-term delivery with long-term value and capability.

When they communicate, they do so with clarity and intent. They adjust their language for different audiences without sacrificing substance, enabling others to understand, act, and contribute with confidence.

Experts like this demonstrate a quiet form of leadership. Even without a formal delivery team to lead, they influence direction, nurture capability, and strengthen collective outcomes. Their leadership is expressed through service – guiding others to success rather than positioning themselves as gatekeepers.

When expertise is experienced in this way, it shifts how people choose to engage with it – not as a final check, but as a source of strength throughout the journey.

In fast-moving delivery environments, involving someone early can feel like another demand on already limited time. But just a short conversation with a real expert – someone who can offer insight with clarity, openness, and good judgement – can sharpen direction and bring confidence when it matters most. When that expertise is shared with humility and care, it does not feel like a delay; it feels like progress. The experts people return to are the ones who help shape outcomes collaboratively, not simply approve them.

Expertise makes the greatest difference when it guides rather than judges. Shared early and applied generously, it strengthens both the experts and those they support. It is a view of expertise that shares something with the spirit of ‘servant leadership’ – where authority is expressed through service, and mastery through generosity. That partnership is what transforms expertise from a title into a force for progress. It becomes a source of confidence rather than a checkpoint to clear. That is the kind of expertise worth striving toward, and the kind that earns its place at the beginning, not just the end.