You can be the subject matter expert in your field, yet be less than mediocre in another field

Have you been in cross-functional meetings, that attempts to handle crisis situations ? Well, then you know.

Supply chain professionals turn into "marketing gurus" and have advice on how the marketing campaign should be run; and sales professionals turn subject matter experts on how the shop floor operations should be optimized.

Cross functional brainstorming is a good idea , cross functional ideas are welcome to solve crisis situations. But it is best that the subject matter experts take the lead, run the show, and make the decisions.

The expertise in your field, should not be substituted or mistaken as an expertise in all fields. You can be the subject matter expert in your field, yet be less than mediocre in another field.

To prove the point, consider this classic example from"The intelligent investor" by Benjamin Graham.

"And back in the spring of 1720, Sir Isaac Newton owned shares in the South Sea Company, the hottest stock in England. Sensing that the market was getting out of hand, the great physicist muttered that he “could calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of the people.” Newton dumped his South Sea shares, pocketing a 100% profit totaling £7,000. But just months later, swept up in the wild enthusiasm of the market, Newton jumped back in at a much higher price—and lost £20,000 (or more than $3 million in today’s money). For the rest of his life, he forbade anyone to speak the words“South Sea” in his presence."

The man with best IQ and the best physics knowledge : could not excel in Financial markets.

Leave it to the subject matter experts !