Your expertise is challenged in a team meeting. How do you assert your authority and regain respect?

it’s natural to feel defensive, but staying composed is essential. Take a moment to breathe and remind yourself that inquiries about your expertise are not personal criticisms. Remaining calm helps you respond thoughtfully and confidently, showcasing your knowledge and professionalism. This approach not only defuses tension but also sets a constructive tone for addressing the challenge effectively.

Don't be defensive. WELCOME the critique. Ask for more detail where you need it. Manage your emotions - this isn't about ego, or who likes you or doesn't. It should never be personal - it's just business. This is a learning opportunity, as well as a chance to educate you can also be educated. Be open-minded. Expect to be challenged - and enjoy the challenge. Make it constructive. It is a part of the process. Maintaining composure is a great way to show desirable leadership qualities which may well lead to greater respect, progression and effectiveness.

We should start positively and anchor our response in the latest data and best practices. At the same time, it's important to remain open to concerns and alternative viewpoints, as they can help confirm we're on the right track

When your expertise is challenged, listen attentively to understand the underlying concerns. This isn’t about passively accepting criticism but actively engaging with the other person's perspective. By truly hearing their point of view, you can address specific issues more effectively and demonstrate respect for their input, fostering a more constructive dialogue.

Two ears, one mouth. Use them in that ratio! Use the 5 whys where you need to - in very short sentences if needed. The word on its own can be enough. Passivity is not the correct reaction. Welcome the engagement, and engage with it. Get into that detail. Improve, iterate, learn and share. Showing that you value others' input also brings them along and makes them feel closer to you and more a part of the team as well. You should always collaborate - you rarely compete, and if you do you are likely in the wrong environment, or have the wrong mindset. Expand your mindset and expand your opportunities alongside it.

Explain the foundation of your knowledge and experience in the subject matter, and how it applies to the current discussion. Share relevant examples or credentials that support your position, demonstrating your competence while maintaining humility and openness to other perspectives. This approach reinforces your authority without alienating your team.

It is a very useful thing to be able to quickly rattle off your relevant experience, in a challenge situation. Not chapter and verse - not the same old same old, but "I think x because of y and my experience of doing z". Provide evidence - don't make up bluster, stories or try to BS your way out of a situation. If you don't HAVE any relevant expertise, accept the challenge and look to move forward in the space and improve yourself - and ask yourself why you were positioning yourself as an expert in the first place. "Scope creep" can be a problem for experts - don't be one of those experts!

This could include data, past successful projects, or relevant experience. By providing concrete examples, you reinforce your argument and demonstrate your competence and reliability, helping to regain trust and authority in the discussion.

Evidence is the best way to solve a difference of opinion, especially in business. Opinions, otherwise, are like belly buttons - everyone has one. Don't be persuaded by those with charm and charisma - bear in mind a large percentage of people are introverts. Using data is the most powerful way to build a high-performing team, get the right things done, and move forward. Back up your argument. Highlight your skillset at the same time and the demonstration of your efficacy is just a bonus on top. It isn't a points-scoring exercise, but an exercise in building trust and judgment.

Offer insights that may be unfamiliar to others, and simplify complex concepts. This approach not only clarifies your expertise but also fosters a collaborative learning environment, enhancing respect and understanding within the team.

Be careful in the way that you communicate your expertise. Avoid being a know-it-all. If you get positioned as an expert by others, leading into the conversation - and you should be, if you are on a thought-leadership journey - be humble, but also reinforce the reasons why. Condescension is a terrible attitude and should be avoided at all costs. You will make no friends with condescenion and will simply come across more barriers in the future. The ability to translate complex concepts into simple terminology is a valuable one, and one that will serve you very well. Practice, practice, practice - think of the old "when you talk to the board, do it in language that a 5-year old could understand". Don't unnecessarily complicate it!!!