Are you being overlooked, even though you’re the expert?

The overlooked specialist

Meet Thomas: Thomas is a highly qualified power engineer working at a busy engineering firm. It is widely known that Thomas is almost all-knowing in his field.

Yet he often finds himself excluded from important conversations and projects at work.

People tend to go to his colleague, Maria, instead. Maria is also a specialist in the same field, though she doesn’t have Thomas’s level of expertise and experience. What she does have is an approachable personality and an ease of communication.

Thomas struggles to understand why his extensive knowledge isn’t being used more, and he gradually feels increasingly excluded from decision-making processes in the company

Likeability or competence?

This illustrates a familiar workplace dynamic: the choice between a “loveable fool” and a “competent jerk.” (Note: in this context, “fool” doesn’t mean Maria is incompetent, only that Thomas is more competent.)

Research in social psychology shows that people tend to seek interactions with those they find pleasant and approachable—even if they aren’t the most skilled. A friendly colleague helps create a safe and comfortable work atmosphere, which naturally attracts others.

Likewise, people often avoid those they find difficult or unpleasant to interact with, no matter how capable they may be.

Consequences for the overlooked

For a specialist like Thomas, this dynamic has several negative consequences:

• When he isn’t included in important projects and decisions, his career development may stall. He misses opportunities to demonstrate his expertise and earn recognition from management—as well as the exciting tasks and salary increases that recognition can bring.
• As Thomas becomes more aware of his exclusion, he is likely to lose much of his motivation and job satisfaction. And because he knows he is skilled, he feels frustrated about not being valued.
• This can make him resentful and seem even harder to work with—or it may simply cause him to lower his efforts. Neither outcome is good for his career or motivation.
• Finally, Thomas may start to feel isolated from the rest of the workplace, which could ultimately harm his mental health.

3 tips: How Thomas can get more involved

To change this situation and become more included, Thomas can consider the following strategies:

1. Improve social skills
   He can practice being more approachable, listening actively, and engaging in small talk and informal conversations with colleagues.
   
   
2. Build stronger workplace relationships
   He can invest time in social activities, but also in everyday interactions by offering help and support to colleagues.
   
   
3. Show empathy and communicate better
   By showing empathy and understanding for colleagues’ needs and challenges—both professional and personal—Thomas can create more positive interactions. By sharpening his communication skills, he can also present his expertise in a way that is more accessible and understandable to others, making him a more attractive resource.

By following these 3 steps, Thomas can begin to break the negative cycle and put an end to the professional and personal exclusion he is experiencing. If he succeeds in creating a better balance between his professional competence and his social interactions, it will not only improve his own job satisfaction but also strengthen his position and influence in the company.