No matter how good you think you are at something, you’re not really that good until:
- You can explain it in clear, concise terms
- Someone else reviews your work and agrees
- Someone reviews your work, disagrees, and you’re able to explain why you do what you do
I’m not saying everyone will agree with an expert’s work, but an expert is able to hear the reviewer’s point of view, understand it, and explain why the two people are coming to different conclusions.
Public communication isn’t necessarily the first step to becoming an expert, but it’s one of the required steps, and it’s not going away. When you’ve mastered the technical side of what you do, it’s time to start working on the communication side.