You are the expert. The specialist. The person with the answer. But why does it feel as though no one is really listening? As if your advice disappears into a black hole? And why will they soon do exactly what you advised against?

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As we discussed in our previous blog, there are four key roles that determine whether a strategy succeeds or fails. Today, we zoom in on the second role: the subject matter expert. Paul van Bekkum, co‑founder of Summiteers, and Thijs Venneman, management consultant, explain why your brilliant insights often fail to land — and how to change that.

The problem with your expertise

You are right. In 9 out of 10 cases. You see what others do not. You know what they do not. But here is the painful truth: being right is not enough.

You are only involved when the water is already up to their necks. You are given two weeks for what is really two months of work. And when you finally present your analysis, they stare at you blankly. “Interesting, but can’t it be simpler?”

Meanwhile, you see disaster coming. That IT architecture they want? Unfeasible. That timeline? Laughable. That cost estimate? Forget it. But your warnings are dismissed as negativity. “Aren’t you thinking too much in problems?”

Five things to stop doing that don’t work

1. Stop telling everything you know

What you do now: A presentation of 47 slides with all the ins and outs.‍

What works: Three slides containing what they need to decide.

Paul often sees this go wrong: “Experts think more information leads to better decisions. Wrong. Decision‑makers drown in details. They want the bottom line. What does this mean for us? What are the risks? What will it cost?”

Put yourself in their shoes. What do they need to say yes or no? Give them that. The rest is noise.

2. Stop squeezing in your expertise on the side

What you do now: “I’ll have a quick look in between other work.”

‍What works: “I can think along, but my workload needs to be adjusted temporarily.”

You are not Superman. If you want to seriously contribute to strategy, you need time for it. Thijs is clear: “Discuss concretely what temporarily cannot be done or must be reduced. Otherwise you deliver half‑baked work. And that helps no one.”

No space? Then no proper contribution. It’s that simple.

3. Stop saying only no

What you do now: “That won’t work. We’ve tried that. Impossible.”‍

What works: “Interesting idea. If we adjust X, involve Y and change the timing of Z, it might work.”

You are the expert, not the naysayer. “The reflex of ‘we’ve tried that’ kills innovation,” warns Paul. “What didn’t work in 2019 may work perfectly now. Different context, different technology, different people.”

Become the bridge‑builder. The enabler. The yes‑but‑in‑this‑way person.

Instead of “This won’t work”, ask: “How do you see this working with our current systems?” Questions open doors. Statements close them.

4. Stop thinking your perspective is the only one

What you do now: “From an IT perspective, this is irresponsible.”

What works: “From an IT point of view it’s risky, but I understand the business case. Could we reduce the risk by…”

You have a partial perspective. Important, but not complete. The CFO looks at money. The commercial director at customers. HR at people. Your expertise is a puzzle piece, not the puzzle.

Thijs: “The best experts think from the whole. They understand that their ‘no’ sometimes has to give way to a bigger ‘yes’.”

5. Stop being modest about what you know

What you do now: “Oh, everyone knows this, right?”

What works: “Pay attention — this is essential. If we get this wrong, it will cost us X.”

What is obvious to you is rocket science to others. That ‘simple’ observation of yours? It may save millions. That ‘logical’ warning? It may prevent a disaster.

“Experts are too often too modest,” Paul notes. “They think their knowledge is commonly known. Wrong. Your expertise is worth gold. Treat it that way.”

The uncomfortable truth

You are not heard because you speak the wrong language. You speak in jargon while they think in results. You warn about technical risks while they see commercial opportunities. You think in perfection while they think in progress.

The solution? Become bilingual.

Keep your expertise, but translate it. Stay critical, but be constructive. Warn about risks, but offer alternatives. Think from your domain, but act from the whole.

And here’s the most painful part: sometimes you must accept that they go for 80% instead of your perfect 100%. Because 80% tomorrow is better than 100% never.

This makes the difference

As a subject matter expert, you do not determine the strategy. But you do determine whether that strategy has a chance of success. Your insights make the difference between:

A plan that looks good vs a plan that works

Surprises afterwards vs risks you saw coming

Frustration vs pride in your contribution

“You are not a supporting role,” Thijs emphasises. “You are the foundation everything rests on. Without your expertise, they are empty promises. With your expertise, it becomes reality.”

The question is not whether your expertise is valuable. The question is how to make that value count.

Not by shouting louder. But by speaking the right language. Their language.

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This is part 3 of our series on the four key roles for successful strategy. Earlier, we discussed the commissioning party. Next time: middle management — the forgotten layer that determines everything.

Want to make better use of your expertise? We are Summiteers. We translate complex matters into clear choices, connect specialists with decision‑makers, and ensure expertise lands where it needs to.

Let’s talk. Or follow our LinkedIn page for more practical insights.