How Do I Clone My Subject Matter Experts?

No mad scientist needed

Here’s what makes an SME an SME, and how to capture and distribute organizational expertise to create an empowered, expert service team.

Every service organization has a handful of standout experts. Colleagues and managers know exactly who they are, and have them saved as favorite contacts. These go-to subject matter experts (SME) are overwhelmed, and their overflowing voicemails and inboxes reflect how sought-after and respected they are. But popularity comes at a price — experts can’t be in the field doing what they do best and simultaneously training new and less skilled employees on best practices, too. And with baby boomer technicians retiring in droves, it’s more critical than ever for service leaders to capture and distribute their knowledge across teams.

So how exactly did these SMEs obtain such mastery over their domain, and can we recreate these traits in others?