Controversial opinion about something that bugs me more and more these days. Do you have over a decade of real experience in your field? No? Then on what grounds do you label yourself as an “expert,” “mentor,” “coach,” or similar? Here’s why I ask: The 10,000-Hour Rule, brought to the mainstream by Malcolm Gladwell, suggests that mastering a field requires roughly 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. In traditional work terms, that equates to a robust decade of committed practice. Now, let’s extend this theory to all the self-proclaimed “experts,” “mentors,” and “coaches” we see on LinkedIn. I get it, we’re clearly in an era of instant gratification and mastering a skill through extended engagement is clearly fading. The professional sphere is inundated with self-anointed experts who, despite a scant few years of experience, profess to have garnered a knowledge base akin to those who’ve toiled for decades amidst real-world challenges. The title of “expert” should be a badge of honour bestowed by peers, reflecting a communal acknowledgment rather than a self-imposed label. The accolades from colleagues, stemming from real contributions, insights, and seasoned experience, bear a hallmark of authenticity and respect that self-declared titles fail to evoke. True expertise echoes through the community, validated by recognition, endorsements, and a history of tangible excellence in one’s field. Do you have one of those qualificatives in your LinkedIn tagline? Why or why not? #CareerDevelopment #ContinuousLearning #10000HourRule #CareerGrowth