One Brake Light At A Time (The Friday Ficks S6 E31)

At a recent public hearing in my town, a professional engineer enthusiastically testified that a proposed development would not significantly increase traffic on Route 4 - a notoriously congested road.

Then a resident stood to speak.

He told the commission he’d been traveling town roads since 1968, acknowledging that he was not an expert and couldn’t speak to the “mathematics” involved in producing the traffic study.

Then he smiled and said: “But I am an expert at sitting in my car, waiting for the lights to change on Route 4,” describing the traffic as “atrocious.”

The room laughed. Then it got quiet. Because everyone knew exactly what he meant.

His expertise wasn't earned in a classroom. It was earned one brake light at a time. Credentials, education and professional expertise all matter. But so does lived experience.

The person who has studied a problem may offer valuable insight. The person who has lived the problem may offer something equally valuable.

The wisest decisions often come from listening to both.

That lesson extends far beyond town meetings. We live in a world filled with experts. Some have impressive credentials. Others have impressive social media followings. Some have both.

Before blindly following an expert, ask: Have they actually done what they're preaching? Have they faced the problem they're describing? Have they made mistakes and learned from them?

Do their actions match their words?

Real expertise isn't measured only by degrees, titles, licenses or followers.

Sometimes it's measured by the miles you've traveled, the mistakes you've survived, the problems you've solved, and the people you've helped.

Don't confuse visibility with credibility. And never assume the person without the impressive credentials has nothing to teach you.

Listen to the experts. But don't overlook the people who have lived the journey.

One brake light at a time.

Own the day. Own the weekend.

Carl