Negative Expert curve and effect

Hi, welcome to the eleventh day of The Leads Intellectual challenge: a 30-day intellectual challenge with Fatai Kareem. If you would like to know what Expert curve and effect is, read the tenth day challenge here.

Today, he will be discussing negative Expert curve and effect. In the previous challenge, Expert curve has been described to show a positive relationship between the competence, experience or efficiency of an expert and the confidence of the employer or consumer of such expertise. However, in some cases, it is possible for a negative relationship to exist between the two variables. If you have been wondering why some people are competent, experienced or efficient, yet their clients do not believe in them, then negative Expert curve and effect can provide the answer.

Negative Expert curve proposes that if an expert (someone or an organisation with competence, experience or efficiency in a particular task or field) does not deliver or perform as expected, the less confident the employer or consumer of such expertise is likely to become. This is a case with negative discrepancy between the expected level of competence, experience, efficiency, professionalism or quality and the actual level of performance. That is, the performance of the expert goes below the level of competence, experience, efficiency, professionalism or quality he/she portrays or claims to have, or that is expected of him/her.

This negative Expert curve and effect can occur as a result of direct or indirect relationship between the expert and the employer or consumer (client) of his/her expertise. Negative Expert curve can occur through direct relationship when an employer or consumer (client) is disappointed by the performance of an expert. And it can occur through indirect relationship when the unsatisfied employer or consumer gives negative review or condemns the expertise of such expert,  which in turn discourages prospective employer or consumers from giving their jobs to the expert. When the expert does not perform well, negative Expert curve occurs. When this performance discourages the employer or consumer or prospects from giving their jobs to the expert, negative Expert effect sets in.

Some factors that can lead to negative Expert curve and effect include:

1.  Unrealistic expectations: when an employer or consumer (client) has unrealistic expectation from the expert, and put the blame on the expert when the expectation could not be fulfilled, then negative Expert curve sets in. Therefore, it is better for an expert to understand how realistic the expectation of his/her employer or client is before committing to the job. Likewise, when a customer expects to get an unrealistic outcome from your product or service, this can lead to negative Expert curve when such outcome could not be achieved.

2. Ambiguity: this is a situation whereby an expectation, role, responsibility, duty, method, process, procedure or outcome to be achieved is not clear. There is lack of clarity of what to be done or achieved. Hence, what is done or achieved is different from the desirable one. Therefore, it is important that there is clarity of expectation between the expert and the employer or consumer (client) of such expertise. The expert should know what is expected of him/her while the employer or consumer (client) should know what the expert is going to deliver. Organisation should be clear about the function of its products or service  while its consumers or clients should be able to understand this as well.

3. Lack of integrity: when an expert lacks integrity, the employer or consumer of such expertise may not have a trust in him/her. Hence, this can reduce their confidence in him/her.

4. Lack of soft skills: when an expert lacks soft skills, it maybe hard for him to get some things done well. Hence, negative Expert curve could set in. Likewise, when employees of an organisation lacks soft skills at workplace and have poor customer relationship, this can affect how well works are done and the reputation of the organisation. When an organisation is perceived to have poor customer relationship or service, this can affect the hope of its consumers or clients when there is a complaint. Therefore, it can lead to negative Expert curve and effect.

5. Negative reviews: negative reviews by unsatisfied employer or consumer, or a trusted body about an expert can discourage prospective employer or consumer (client) from giving jobs to the expert.

6. Natural or unforeseen circumstances: there are times when an expert will not be able to perform well due to natural or unforeseen circumstance which is out of his/her control. If this is not well understood by the employer or consumer, it could lead to negative Expert curve and effect.

7. Low self-esteem: when an expert lacks confidence, this could make the employer or consumer of such expertise to doubt his/her expertise.

8. Mistake: when an expert makes a mistake which could have been avoided if proper care is taken, this could lead to negative Expert curve and effect.

9. Connection: when an expert has a connection with another expert or organisation that has committed a wrong conduct, this can affect his/her reputation as well. 

10. Misconduct or bad habits: when an expert does the unacceptable thing, this can lead to negative Expert curve and effect.

11. Lack of opportunity for training and development: change is inevitable. If an expert does not update his/her knowledge and skills, negative Expert curve and effect could occur when he/she can perform up to the new standard.

12. Lack of motivation: when an expert is not motivated to perform his/her job well, this can affect his/her performance. Likewise, when employees are not motivated, this can affect their performance. And this can lead to negative Expert curve and effect. 

Any factor that can affect the performance of a person or an organisation negatively has the potential of bringing up negative Expert curve and effect if care is not taken.

Case study

1. XyZ Ltd, a reputable company for its quality, produces 500 packs of its products out of which 50 packs are returned as bad ones. Can this affect its reputation? If one of their customers threaten to give negative review of its products, how can it affect its reputation? If the manager of the company fails to attend to the issue appropriately, how can it affect the company?

2. April, the most resourceful employee of ZXY company, has been reported by one of the clients of the company that he collected some money from her in the name of the company to get her some goods, which he fails to do so. How can this affect him? How can his misconduct affect the company?

3. Jan, a professional data analyst, always does his job diligently. He is trusted by his clients for quality job. Of recent, he has a tough time in his relationship. And his customers are complaining about his work. What could have affected his performance? How can it affect his reputation? 

Disclaimer: All names used are for illustration purpose.

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