Looking to become an industry thought leader, guru, ninja or whatever other title that implies you are an expert? Here are some ideas to become a “go-to” person when a problem needs to be solved.

By no means an inclusive list, below are a few ideas that, taken together, can be considered a broad roadmap toward becoming an expert in your field…whatever that field may be.

1) Keep a home for your ideas.
What is your passion? It could be anything: furniture building, motorcycle design, even egg shell carving. Whatever your passion, keep a “home” for your ideas related to this potential area of expertise.

“Keeping a home requires two things: building it, and nurturing it. That could be a blog. It might be a forum or community you build. But the point is to give your ideas somewhere to take root, to reside, so that it’s yours to keep and tend, and for others to visit,” Amber Naslund, a business strategist and the VP of social strategy for Radian6, writes at Brass Tack Thinking. “And not unlike the home you live in, it takes constant work, investment and elbow grease to keep it in tip-top shape.”

2) Build relationships.
Network, network, network. “Expertise is, ultimately, social,” according to Dustin Wax, a contributing editor and project manager at Stepcase Lifehack. “Experts are embedded in a web of other experts who exchange new ideas and approaches to problems, and they are embedded in a wider social web that connects them to people who need their expertise.”

“So, get out there into channels and begin engaging. Just because you are an expert doesn’t mean that you are the ONLY expert in your niche,” Kyle James, a co-founder of nuCloud, writes at .eduGuru. “Also, if there are other experts already out there these are the people that you want to be networking with. They obviously share your passion and you have a lot in common. Start building a relationship with them.”

3) Impart your knowledge.
Create content and put yourself out there. Frequent forums and blogs within your field, and answer questions that others may have. Pen your thoughts and publish them in articles, columns and white papers on industry websites. (Hire a copywriter if you lack sufficient writing skills.) Host podcasts and share them online. Find fellow apprentices and start teaching them.

A key skill in becoming an industry expert is taking complicated information and making it easy to understand. “You might not be the planet’s greatest authority on your topic. But it’s just possible you could become the most accessible authority,” Sonia Simone, founder of Remarkable Communication, writes at CopyBlogger. “Take boring scholarly articles and turn them into interesting audio recordings. Take complicated diagrams and turn them into good stories. Take books written 40 or 50 years ago, update the language and the examples, and turn them into [...] videos.”

4) Practice what you preach.
“In addition to knowledge, an expert needs to have significant experience working with that knowledge,” Wax writes. “S/he needs to be able to apply it in creative ways, to be able to solve problems that have no pre-existing solutions they can look up — and to identify problems that nobody else has noticed yet.”

“Try stuff. Put into your work every bit as much as you expect to get out of it,” Naslund advises. “And invite people to join you with genuine welcome.”

To that end, your daily practice should reflect your expertise, otherwise people will have little reason to look at you as an expert. “You wouldn’t trust a personal organizer who always forgot your appointments,” Wax adds.

5) Build upon your expertise.
“Only a fool assumes he knows everything and can’t learn any more. No matter how much you know, content and ideas are changing,” Susan Payton, managing partner of internet marketing firm Egg Marketing & Public Relations, writes at Mashable. “News happens, ideas shift, people try new things. It’s important for you to stay on top of the latest updates.”

Perpetual learning is a key characteristic among all experts. Stay above the trends in your field by attending industry conferences and trade shows, and consuming industry news in trade publications, blogs, forums and social networks. Consider the numerous online resources that offer free or low-cost Webinars or e-courses to build upon your knowledge and expertise.

6) Exercise humility and graciousness.
“Even the experts don’t know it all. The most respected ones not only know that, but say so, openly. And they’re gracious about thoughtful feedback (even if they don’t agree), they’re open to new perspectives, and they embrace the notion that there’s always something left to learn,” Naslund writes. “Share the credit. Welcome the competition and let it drive you. Share your ideas, and promote the work of others lots more than you promote your own.

“[R]emember that it’s not what you call yourself that matters, but eventually, how other people remark about your work and character,” Naslund makes clear. “Titles and trappings are easy to manufacture. Reputation and trust are bestowed by others, and carry much more lasting value.”

Resources

How to Be an Expert Without Being an Ass
by Amber Naslund
Brass Tack Thinking, June 29, 2010

How to Be an Expert (and Find One if You’re Not)
by Dustin Wax
Stepcase Lifehack, April 4, 2008

Becoming an Industry Expert: Watching Out for #1
by Kyle James
.eduGuru, Dec. 21, 2009

How to Become an Expert on Nearly any Subject
by Sonia Simone
Copyblogger, Jan. 23, 2009

How To: Become an Expert in Your Industry
by Susan Payton
Mashable, Oct. 27, 2009

How to Become an Expert
by Luciano Passuello
Litemind, April 2009

Position Yourself as an Expert
by Dorie Clark
BNET, April 27, 2011

Make Yourself an Expert
by Laura Lake
About.com: Marketing

What are You Not Good at?
by Jodi Glickman
Harvard Business Review, Feb. 22, 2011

How to Master any Skill (No Talent Required)
by Jeff Haden
BNET, March 21, 2011