The Expertise Trap: Being Brilliant on Your Own Isn't Enough
It's easy to see why so many people in their twenties dream of becoming "experts." They know a company is no longer a job for life. To survive in a world of contracts, they figure, you need skills no one can replace. But there's a fatal flaw in that thinking: the more specialized you become, the greater the risk of getting trapped inside a world of your own.
AI may write your code, but it won't resolve the friction between people. So why does this happen?
Kim, a worker in his twenties, spent three years mastering Python and SQL to become a data analyst. Yet the highest performance review at his company recently went to Lee, on the team next door. Kim was the stronger technician—but Lee showed an exceptional knack for coordinating across departments.
Consider the case of a gifted developer at one IT firm. His coding was the best on the team, but he refused to communicate with his colleagues. His code was flawless, he reasoned, so there was nothing to explain. In the end, no one could understand the system he built. After he left, the whole thing had to be rebuilt from scratch.
The Paradox of the AI Age: The More Machines Advance, the More People Matter
ChatGPT writes the code; Claude drafts the analysis report. And yet the most important work at a company still happens "between people." What kind of work is that?
Setting project priorities. Mediating between team members in conflict. Pinning down a client's vague requirements. AI can't do any of this for you. If anything, as machines take over the simple tasks, the share of "complex coordination" that only people can do has grown larger.
In fact, when Google published its research on the traits of high-performing teams in 2024, the number one factor was "psychological safety"—an atmosphere where team members can share opinions comfortably and aren't afraid to fail. That is purely a matter of relationships.
Relationship Skills Can Be Learned, Too
So what should you do? The methods laid out in I Can Be Good at My Job, Too are surprisingly concrete.
First, "stay one step ahead of your boss." Figure out what your manager wants before they ask, and have it ready. This isn't flattery—it's practice in thinking from the other person's point of view.
Second, "get feedback early." Don't try to perfect something alone; ask for others' input along the way. That process naturally builds collaborative relationships.
Third, "become the master of the grunt work." Volunteer for the small stuff—booking the meeting room, organizing the materials. Tasks like these create points of contact with all kinds of people.
To Survive, You Need Both Expertise and Relationships
None of this means expertise is unnecessary. Relationships alone, with no real fundamentals, will only take you so far. The key is balance.
The true competitive edge in the age of AI is the product of 'expertise × people skills'—the ability to produce outstanding work on your own while, at the same time, making that work bigger by doing it with others.
Twenties or thirties, regardless of age, you have to grow along both of these axes. Aim to become an expert, yes—but never an expert in isolation. You have to become an expert who works alongside others.
