Drop Your Tools – Does Expertise Have a Dark Side?

Explore the potential dark side of expertise in this thought-provoking keynote address from LCA 2020. Examine how professional expertise, while generally beneficial, can sometimes lead to limitations and inappropriate applications outside its normal context. Delve into real-world examples, including the 1949 Mann Gulch wildfire incident, psychological studies on priming, and insights from baseball, to understand why expertise may occasionally fail us. Learn about the concept of "dropping your tools" and how it relates to adapting in challenging situations. Gain valuable insights into the complexities of applying expertise and the importance of recognizing its limitations in various professional contexts.

Introduction
The Hartford Convention Center
What went wrong
Expertise
Illusion of Knowledge
The US
Smokejumpers
Dry Valley
Northern Slope
Southern Slope
Spot fires
Blowup
The Ridge
The Smoke
Two Questions
The Florida Effect
Negative Priming
The Law of the Instrument
Drop Your Tools
Failure to Drop Your Tools