I learned this covering corporate America. There’s a whole mystique built up around these powerful CEOs. They might have expertise in some ways, but they are simply people who figured out how to climb the ladder and get people to do what they wanted.
"Mystique" is the word for it. As a retired lawyer (and definitely a fellow professional idiot, Brittlestar). I can certify that mystique is a big part of it, as Micheline notes here. Because so many matters to be decided are just matters of common sense, experience and knowledge. Who knows a client's life better than the client; and often the client has very relevant and useful experience. Having practiced as a litigator, I had more experience in the courtroom than the client (or at least, most of them) and also so I could help there; and also because I'd probably read the law more than the client (and had more experience interpreting it). It usually had nothing to do with the training back in law school 40 years earlier (!). But most of all, I was not emotionally involved in the client's matter, and emotions can interfere with one's clarity of thought and thus application of common sense; and so, I had that advantage in assisting the client. But I could've been just as big an idiot as them (if not bigger).
Specific expertise is incredibly helpful to the client. Real estate law, corporate law, etc. are things I don’t know and want you to know. That’s real expertise. Then, there’s bravado, which is something else entirely.
It occurred to me a few years ago that I am free (and correct) to completely ignore what others think when I realized that the random person judging me wasn't smarter or better qualified than I am. That realization was such an eye-opener!
I learned this covering corporate America. There’s a whole mystique built up around these powerful CEOs. They might have expertise in some ways, but they are simply people who figured out how to climb the ladder and get people to do what they wanted.
"Mystique" is the word for it. As a retired lawyer (and definitely a fellow professional idiot, Brittlestar). I can certify that mystique is a big part of it, as Micheline notes here. Because so many matters to be decided are just matters of common sense, experience and knowledge. Who knows a client's life better than the client; and often the client has very relevant and useful experience. Having practiced as a litigator, I had more experience in the courtroom than the client (or at least, most of them) and also so I could help there; and also because I'd probably read the law more than the client (and had more experience interpreting it). It usually had nothing to do with the training back in law school 40 years earlier (!). But most of all, I was not emotionally involved in the client's matter, and emotions can interfere with one's clarity of thought and thus application of common sense; and so, I had that advantage in assisting the client. But I could've been just as big an idiot as them (if not bigger).
Specific expertise is incredibly helpful to the client. Real estate law, corporate law, etc. are things I don’t know and want you to know. That’s real expertise. Then, there’s bravado, which is something else entirely.
It occurred to me a few years ago that I am free (and correct) to completely ignore what others think when I realized that the random person judging me wasn't smarter or better qualified than I am. That realization was such an eye-opener!