The Participation Blog

Lord, it’s Hard to be Humble

We work with clients who are expert in their respective fields, and they’re understandably confident in what they know. But in this new age of anti-science and the demonization of expertise, that confidence is often mistaken for arrogance by an angry, skeptical public. When experts need to establish themselves as trustworthy and credible, a certain amount of humility is often required. But, then again, it’s very easy to come off as looking like you’re faking that humility, which, of course, makes you appear even more arrogant. It’s a weird and nuanced conundrum. Here are some worthwhile ideas for establishing trust.