Making a Business Case: invest in me as an SME

Most SMEs are expected to attend technical training, to improve their technical skills. But to make the transition from subject matter expert to master expert, SMEs need to attend Expertship programs. Here’s how to make the business case to your manager.

Note: This article is written in the middle of the year 2022. Globally, as the world comes out of the worst ravages of COVID, something amazing has happened, and SMEs can be – if they are smart – major beneficiaries.

• The world has realized that technical experts make the world work, and are thus far more important that they previously thought. And, because of the lack of global mobility, these experts are now much in demand, and being paid more.

• This means that experts are in a strong position to suggest to their organizations – and make a case to their managers in particular – that they deserve being invested in, via training that goes far beyond further acquisition of technical skills.

FIVE REASONS WHY YOUR MANAGER SHOULD PAY FOR AN EXPERTSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOU

Reason 1: YOU CAN ADD MORE VALUE

Adding enterprise skills to your technical skills is a one plus one equals three situation. You’ll become far more capable in interacting with the wider organisation (outside your technical group), more influential, and be able to add new and extended value. This is the value you know you could add, if you had the stakeholder relationships and advanced influencing skills to get your ideas across. Your manager probably knows this too.

Reason 2: THEY CAN DELEGATE MORE TO YOU

With added organizational skills, your manager will be able to trust you with more, this saving themselves time and effort. This means they can focus on the big picture items.

Reason 3: IT WILL STOP YOU LEAVING

Smart managers can do the sums. You leaving would mean they have to replace you, probably having to pay a huge fee to a recruitment agent, taking lots of time interviewing, and then having to onboard that new expert. We’re talking probably upwards of 30% of your annual salary. And they have to go without your acquired knowledge of the organization for months.

Or they can pay a small amount to send you on the Mastering Expertship program, increasing your value to the organization and saving money and disruption.

Reason 4: YOU CAN USE THE SKILLS TO GROW OTHER EXPERTS IN THE ORGANIZATION

Building your enterprise skills means also building your skills in developing other experts. These knowledge transfer skills include learning how to coach other employees and also be a technical mentor. This is both saving the manage time and effort, plus probably retaining younger staff who will stay because they are still learning (a further cost saving, no replacement costs!).

Reason 5: IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO

The truth is, you are worth it. You’ve provided excellent service to the organization, and you deserve to be invested in, particularly since the investment provides a big payoff for your manager and the organization.

SUMMARY

Expertunity also has consultants who can make this business case on your behalf, and feel free to Contact Us if you wish to leverage our knowledge and experience, but the argument is so much more powerful coming from you.

If you want to really strength your case, read up on the benefits other experts who have been on the program have articulated in the following articles:

Six Expertship case studies

Subject matter experts review our programs: “Life-changing”

Experts on their Expertship360 experience

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