Being an SAP Expert – A Philosophical View
I have thought about my first SDN blog post and felt this was the way to go. @SAP_Jarret has a great list of the things you need to do to be an SAP Expert. I think you also need to develop a humble and giving attitude. Believe it or not through all my years, this is what I cling to to be an expert.
You can add the words ABOUT <Your Area of Expertise> after each of these.
Here then is Richard’s Top Ten List on How to Know You Are an <SAP> Expert Number 10 – Know What You Do Not Know ABOUT <My Area of Expertise>
Number 9 – Know What You Know
Number 8 – Know How to Find Out What You Do Not Know
Number 7 – Know How to Forget What You Know So You Can Know Something Else You Do Not Know
Number 6 – Know How to Learn From Others What You Do Not Know
Number 5 – Know How to Teach Others What You Know
Number 4 – Know How to Deliver on Promises Made About What You Do Not Know
Number 3 – Know How to Deliver What You Know
Number 2 – Know That It Is Not Possible To Know Everything You Think You Know and
The Number 1 Thing That Makes You An Expert Know How Many Licks It Takes To Get To The Center Of A Tootsie Roll.
I hope the above gives some of you insight. Maybe even some of you laugh. Some might wonder if this is serious. It is.
Translation
10. Be Humble
9. Be Confident
8. Learn
7. Grow
6. Listen
5. Give
4. Think
3. Execute
2. Learn From Mistakes
1. Know by Doing!
Number 1 for me is important. Do not be one of those that thinks you know because you read it. Know because you figured it out.
During my many years as an ABAP instructor for SAP the most important learning I experienced was to approach the material as .....a learner. Being a guru or sage was never a great forumula for being an effective instructor. A guide is what I preferred to see myself being for my classes. And guiding was struggling (sometimes with the class through the terrain). I always found myself learning so much more than I was able to teach, yet the times I felt I got more than I could possibly give were the times the classes gave me back the highest evaluations. So this piece resonates really well with me. Having a class participate in the "discovery" of understanding was much more effective than preaching or pontificating.
Again thanks and looking forward to hearing a great deal more from you....
On a side, if anyone is interested in the article Richard is refering to it is "10 Ways to tell if you are an SAP Expert" it can be found here
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/24240
Excellent 1st blog. I agree with you 100% on your philosophy. Well done!
John
It's always great to see community members starting to blog. Interesting view on being a SAP Expert.
For me there is a differentiation though between what an expert and what I consider to be a linchpin.
An expert as described by dictionaries is someone who has extensive knowledge and experience on a topic.
For me a linchpin is closer to what you describe in your ten points. Linchpin is defined as "a central cohesive source of support and stability".
Seth Godin describes a linchpin as someone doing art, connecting to people in a way that they want you to connect with them and by doing so causing positive change to occur.
Perhaps a good question, what would you prefer to be an expert or a linchpin? For me it's an easy choice, I would prefer being a linchpin over being an expert any day.
Kind regards
Tom
i'm always think can't sure about my sap knowledge.
i'll do my best how can be an sap expert.
thanks richard.