Recently, one of my clients said “you don’t know what you don’t know.”
Has anyone heard that expression?
What does it mean to you?
I think it’s true in many ways. You may be an expert in accounting, whereas I’m an expert in older adult exercise programming.
But, it begs the question – how do you know if the person you hire or go to for advice is actually good? There are, after all, good and not so good people in every profession. Or, at the very least, someone who has expertise in exactly what you need, and someone else who doesn’t hold that much knowledge.
We can ask friends for recommendations or read reviews online. Which may be helpful to identify someone who may not be a great choice. But is it a good way to identify someone who would fit our need most closely?
I go to an Allergy and Asthma doctor. I actually initially went to her simply because she was in my network and happened to have appointments available. I still go to her all these years later. Is she known to be the best in the Twin Cities? No. She’s not on any best physician list. Nor did I know anyone who had seen her.
But, she has thought outside the box on more than one occasion and brought up possibilities that hadn’t occurred to me. She keeps up with the latest new medications and studies. As a result, I feel my health has improved.
I found her by pure luck.
There are many personal trainers out there. How do you know if they are experts at what you need? How do you know if they know what they are doing? How do you know if they keep up with the latest research and apply it to their clients in the right way?
No guarantees – and you don’t know what you don’t know.
Take a look at their website and social media. Get familiar with some of the more “controversial” programming for older adults so you have an idea of what to look out for (for me, that would include anything such as standing on a BOSU ball or most any other uneven surface).
Of course, you can look at their certifications. But even that doesn’t guarantee applicable skills.
My advice? Look for someone who works with your type of problem, has expertise and applies it, and subscribes to podcasts, articles, and continuing education with the newest forward-thinking experts in the field. When you meet with them, ask about this to get a sense of how they program, who they’ve helped, and their training “philosophy.”
Questions? Let’s talk!
