The Anti-Guru Movement

I've read a lot of articles recently that attack the notion of people as gurus, especially in regards to social media and Internet technology. There's a backlash against experts in such fields. "Social media is too new," these cynics are saying, "you can't possibly be an expert." A couple of months back, Chris Brogan, well-known propagator of social media (dare I say 'guru?'), offered a Webinar on Google+ for business at a cost of $40/person. The announcement was met with a great amount of resistance from pundits who claimed Google+ was too new for even Chris Brogan to be an expert on it. Guess who spent $40 on said Webinar? Yes, yours truly. Why? Because I think Chris Brogan is a Google+ guru...and that's okay.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think there is an place for arrogance. Calling yourself a guru can come across as pretentious and it's never beneficial to think you know more than you really do. But, I do think there's something to be said for taking pride in your expertise. Change comes from people who have enough confidence in themselves to make it happen. When we rob subject matter experts of their guru-ness, we diminish that courage which drives positive action. The anti-guru movement discourages innovation. It tells people that they're not good enough, that they're too ordinary, to make a difference.

Expertise is relative. Many people I know think that I'm a coffee guru. (I've got to talk about coffee: today is National Coffee Day). Yes, I know a lot more than the average person. I know the backstories of coffeehouses in cities I've never been to, I've read more books on Starbucks than most people read in a lifetime, and I know what I know about world geography based on my study of coffee growing regions. Compared to some, I'm a guru. But I don't consider myself a guru. Here are some people I consider coffee gurus:

• Howard Schultz: CEO of Starbucks. Enough said.
• Kenneth Davids: Editor of Coffee Review and author of several books on coffee.
• Mark Pendergrast: author of Uncommon Grounds.
• Bruce Miletto: International coffeehouse consultant and founder of the American Barista and Coffee school.
• Michael Phillips: Barista at Intelligentsia Coffee and winner of the 2010 World Barista Championships.

In light of these names and many others, I am an amateur at best. My point? Each of us can be a guru in his own right. I am a coffee guru for the average person. Michael Phillips is a coffee guru for me. Chris Brogan can be a Google+ guru for many who are unfamiliar with the topic. A "social media guru" is a legitimate description of someone with a lot of expertise on the subject, as there are a lot of people still struggling with the concept.

So, here's to being a guru! Don't be afraid to show people what you know and leverage your expertise to make a difference. Being a guru isn't selfish--failing to be one is. The world needs people who will helps us understand things. You can be that person! What can you contribute? What are you a guru about? Pay no mind to the detractors who say you don't know enough. No one knows everything about anything. What do you know? Are you sharing it? That's all that matters. Share something. Be a guru!

featured photo courtesty of Black Vanilla licensed via Creative Commons