85 – Establish Authority, Business Expert

How do you establish authority in your field? I don’t care whether that’s internet authority, or workplace authority, or as a business expert.

Learn to become a recognized authority

One quick note just before I get into the episode. As soon as I finished the episode, within two hours I ran into two different situations, two different people (not related) both claiming authority, talking about it as if they have it, and I know they don’t. They couldn’t answer some of the very basic questions. So, be careful, make sure that whatever you’re doing, whoever you’re listening to is not somebody who’s just selling it and their career is based on selling you that product, but that they’ve actually done it. If it’s a coach, somebody who is successful in business over and over again in companies, etc., not somebody who just decided that they don’t have a job, or somebody who’s selling something that’s supposed to be performing. Make sure you see things that they’ve done. Now to the episode.

How to Establish Authority

Today I want to discuss how to establish authority. Clearly, the more you’re approached or have the presence of authority, the better your position, the better your following, the more money you’re going to make, the more satisfaction you’re going to have, and the family you have will have in you.

OK, now, how do you establish authority in your field? I don’t care whether that’s internet authority, or workplace authority, or as a business expert. The idea is that you are regarded as the go-to person or highly regarded, the key is: Without saying it. First of all, you’ve got to get to the point where you can develop the confidence, that is you stand tall and you don’t categorize yourself, you’re driven. You don’t say that you’re an expert. You have to have it reach out from you, from what you’re doing, what you’re saying, and how you’re acting to be recognized and thought of as that expert. That is you demonstrate it and you let other people say it. Don’t say it yourself.

Some of the things you do is make sure that when there are topics or things that are being done, you make the topic of conversation, that is that you have and develop the innovative ideas that are the discussion. You don’t want to just be part of the group or in the discussion. That’s not going to do enough. Just being that is just being one of the masses, one of the people, which can be a wonderful thing if that’s what you want. But if you want to be recognized as an authority, how do you get it and how do you separate yourself so that you’re appreciated and recognized?

First, while I say don’t say it, do acknowledge your accomplishments, whatever they are. You don’t state them, but you do acknowledge them. Thank the other person for stating it or something. Join with an associate, with other leaders in your field, you both learn from them as mentors. Think back to the chapter in the book, but also that episode where I discussed your five friends, the people closest to you, and how your family, friends, and acquaintances can actually be harmful to you. Why? You want to establish that broader reach of people who really are recognized, that you start to be recognized with them and then even amongst them. In order to do this, you’re going to have to do whatever it takes to get the knowledge that you need. In the next episode I’m going to be talking about mastering a topic, mastering a skill. It’s a little different than you’ve established, you know it, you’re very good, but you haven’t established an authority, that is that you’re not recognized. This assumes that you already really know the stuff, whatever the field, whatever the business is, but you want to be recognized for it.

Just think about it. If you’re recognized in your field or in your expertise, that means you’re more in demand, everything from your pay to your happiness is going to be increased. It also means, though, in order to do this, because it’s not static,