When I reflect on my career, one of the toughest challenges I encountered was transitioning out of expert mode. In the early stages of my professional journey, my focus was on:

This shift to a more effective communication style didn’t happen overnight. At first, it felt counterintuitive. I had always been the person with answers and I thought sharing all of them added value. But, I soon realized that delivering only the necessary information was just as crucial, if not more so.

I began to focus on what I now call “purposeful brevity.” Instead of diving into exhaustive details on every point, I learned to assess the context first: Does the audience need the bird’s-eye view, or will they benefit from a deeper dive? By asking myself this question, I developed a disciplined approach, providing the essential elements and leaving out less relevant information that might dilute my message.

I noticed how much more effective we became when I enabled people to own their areas of expertise while I focused on guiding them with the right questions rather than detailed answers. This was especially important in team meetings, where presenting too much detail could lead to analysis paralysis. When I framed the discussion at the strategic level and saved in-depth specifics for smaller, focused meetings, my team became more engaged, confident and autonomous.

Embracing this mindset meant practicing active listening and tailoring my communication style to the audience’s needs.

– Acquiring knowledge

– Becoming an authority in my field.

– Mastering every aspect of my role

– Knowing the answer to every possible question.

I thought that the more skilled I became, the further I would advance.

However, this mindset shifted dramatically when I faced a significant challenge: 

After receiving accolades for my deep understanding of every detail in the business I managed, I began to receive criticism for providing excessive detail that wasn’t always necessary. 

It took me some time to recognize a hard truth: what had gotten me to that point would not take me further. Through many trials and errors, I learned that I needed to undergo a profound shift in identity.