It depends…

One of the biggest contributions of the internet has been an explosion in our access to knowledge. This is great when searching for facts. Forgotten the name of that city, need to check a historical fact or wanting to cheat at the local pub quiz? Reach for your phone, do a search and Bob’s your Uncle. As a consequence, perhaps, we also think of ‘experts’ as purveyors or providers of facts – an all-knowing source to whom any question can be submitted.

All this is great SO LONG AS we are talking about black and white items of knowledge. For most areas of study, however, expertise lies in shades of grey. In other words, knowing which particular nuance or combination of methods will lead to the best solution for YOU, in THIS situation, at THIS particular time and with THIS particular individual or group. In short, almost all of our dealings, and especially those with people, benefit from a particular ‘blend’ of approaches designed to best meet that particular context.

Consider the difference between a low-level Cook and a Cordon Bleu Chef. The Cook blindly follows the recipe, sticking to it as faithfully as possible. If they do it accurately, get the temperature in the oven completely right every time and use the most accurate scales possible, they MIGHT just produce a consistent outcome. Throw in one variable, however, and not only do things go wrong but the cook is faced with no alternative but to throw it in the bin and start again. Contrast this with the Chef who tastes the food frequently, making adjustments as he or she goes to optimise the dish. Their understanding of the whole process is detailed, meaning they can adjust the taste to suit a particular client and are certainly able to resurrect the dish if things go wrong or timings change.

Research in coaching, plus support disciplines such as sports psychology or strength and conditioning, is increasingly focused on developing the Chef approach. Every step of planning, executing and reviewing a session are subject to careful thought using a process called Professional Judgement and Decision Making (PJDM). For very experienced and high level experts, especially in familiar circumstances, the PJDM process might be so quick that it seems intuitive. Once again, however, the expert provider will be more Chef than Cook, checking progress regularly to ensure things are on the right track and making fine adjustments to optimise the result.

PJDM-based expertise is a characteristic of almost all professions and professionals. As such, effective professionals have a broad and deep knowledge base but are also very skilled at spotting and catering for the subtleties in the situation. This is what YOU should expect from a competent professional – the ability to fine tune and individualise an approach to optimally meet your own personal needs.

Want to know more
Collins, L., and Collins, D. (2015) Integration of professional judgement and decision- making in high-level adventure sports coaching practice. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33 (6). pp. 622-633. ISSN 0264-0414

Author: Dave Collins