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I don't know if this will help you or not, but more than anything the skill that has helped me develop expertise within my field is learning to ask really good

I don't know if this will help you or not, but more than anything the skill that has helped me develop expertise within my field is learning to ask really good questions and listening thoughtfully to the responses. It can feel risky because there's vulnerability in asking a question! But if you use a little flattery (vs. trying to hedge by sneaking in your own answer), people will share enthusiastically. When you get in the habit of gathering viewpoints from everyone by constantly asking questions, your perspective and wisdom grows deeper and deeper. See Richard Feynman's autobiography for a version of this strategy.

nativeit 3y ago
This is such a seemingly simple notion, it borders on the obvious when stated, but I think folks who put forth an honest effort to apply it in practice tend to discover that it’s far more powerful than its surface level reading. It was surprising to me how little I actually engaged with what others were contributing until I made a genuine effort to do so. It generally requires several other deceptively simple traits that can/should be cultivated—traits such as humility, an understanding of how to make/receive constructive criticism, how to apply that feedback productively, and an overall willingness to allow others to reshape your own endeavors. In my own experience I learned that in almost every case where I sought the participation of others and relinquished some of my control my work was objectively improved across the board—the final product seemed much more mature, robust, and I was introduced to a lot of blind spots that allowed me to learn and grow, which in turn helps improve future efforts. My personal philosophy now simply asserts that in most scenarios I only stand to gain with the involvement of more (and more diverse) voices. More to the OP’s original point, I believe that accepting one’s own limits, and freely admitting when a task or project may test/exceed them, is one of the components to this same general humility. It’s empowering to be able to nourish your curiosity and push your limits. Involving others who can support that effort expands your possibilities and while providing additional protection against failures. All of this is healthy, just generally, but such collaboration can also help define where you stand among your peers, identify potential gaps in your knowledge/abilities, reassure yourself that your contributions are meaningful, and shape the path to further growth. The same is true for everyone involved, and you can lend your own strengths to their development in-kind. Concerns for how you’re perceived by others should center around how you engaged with the process and helped foster progress, the results of which should speak for themselves in the long run. TLDR; I diverged a bit from the parent comment. Lots of people are smart, and skilled people are interchangeable with other skilled people. Being generous, sincere, and supportive however can make you indispensable. However, all of these traits require cultivating and training, whether it’s technical knowledge or listening with empathy.

nativeit 3y ago

This is such a seemingly simple notion, it borders on the obvious when stated, but I think folks who put forth an honest effort to apply it in practice tend to discover that it’s far more powerful than its surface level reading. It was surprising to me how little I actually engaged with what others were contributing until I made a genuine effort to do so. It generally requires several other deceptively simple traits that can/should be cultivated—traits such as humility, an understanding of how to make/receive constructive criticism, how to apply that feedback productively, and an overall willingness to allow others to reshape your own endeavors. In my own experience I learned that in almost every case where I sought the participation of others and relinquished some of my control my work was objectively improved across the board—the final product seemed much more mature, robust, and I was introduced to a lot of blind spots that allowed me to learn and grow, which in turn helps improve future efforts. My personal philosophy now simply asserts that in most scenarios I only stand to gain with the involvement of more (and more diverse) voices. More to the OP’s original point, I believe that accepting one’s own limits, and freely admitting when a task or project may test/exceed them, is one of the components to this same general humility. It’s empowering to be able to nourish your curiosity and push your limits. Involving others who can support that effort expands your possibilities and while providing additional protection against failures. All of this is healthy, just generally, but such collaboration can also help define where you stand among your peers, identify potential gaps in your knowledge/abilities, reassure yourself that your contributions are meaningful, and shape the path to further growth. The same is true for everyone involved, and you can lend your own strengths to their development in-kind. Concerns for how you’re perceived by others should center around how you engaged with the process and helped foster progress, the results of which should speak for themselves in the long run. TLDR; I diverged a bit from the parent comment. Lots of people are smart, and skilled people are interchangeable with other skilled people. Being generous, sincere, and supportive however can make you indispensable. However, all of these traits require cultivating and training, whether it’s technical knowledge or listening with empathy.