Episode 396: Stop Proving, Start Positioning: The Real Path to Expert Authority

Have you ever caught yourself rattling off your credentials, degrees, or past projects just to prove that you belong in the room? Maybe you’ve said things like, “I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” or “I have a master’s degree in this field,” hoping it lands as authority. But here’s the thing: proving rarely works. It often comes across as defensive or even desperate. And more importantly – it doesn’t scale. The real path to credibility, trust, and growth isn’t “proving”. It’s positioning yourself with expert authority. I’m sharing a personal story that brought this lesson home for me, what expert authority really means, and how you can make the shift from proving to positioning in your own business.

Why Proving Your Expertise Doesn’t Work

When you lead with your resume, you put yourself in a position of defending rather than leading.

I learned this the hard way. Over the summer, I stepped back into some project-based work that felt more like my old agency days. On one call, instead of leading with my framework or the results I deliver, I casually mentioned that I had a lot of experience and had been in the field for decades.

The other person on the call responded by giving me her entire resume – degrees, past companies, education, all of it. Suddenly, she was the authority in the room, and I was left in a weaker position.

It reminded me of what happens when we forget to position ourselves as the expert: someone else will step into that role.

👉 Proving says, “Trust me, I’m qualified.”
👉 Positioning says, “Here’s the path I lead people on and the transformation I deliver.”

What Expert Authority Really Means

Expert authority isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being the most clearly positioned person in the room.

When people see you as an authority, they don’t question whether you’re qualified — they already trust you because you’ve made the intangible tangible. You’ve shown them:

• The problem you solve.
• The transformation you deliver.
• The framework you’ve built to get them there.

This is why I always say: everything is easier with a framework.

Your framework is what turns your expertise into something people can recognize, follow, and buy into. It’s what makes you scalable.

Why Frameworks Are the Fastest Path to Authority

If you want to stop proving and start positioning, your framework is the key.

Here’s why:

1. It makes your expertise tangible. Instead of saying, “I can help with whatever you need,” you say, “I take people from [here] to [there] with my [framework].” That clarity builds instant trust.
   
   
2. It’s repeatable and scalable. Once your framework is defined, you can deliver it in many ways – coaching, courses, group programs, even certifications.
   
   
3. It positions you as the creator, not the contractor. When you own a proprietary methodology, you’re not just another coach or consultant. You’re the authority behind a system that works.

Take the Infinite Scale Method™, for example. I’ve tweaked it many times over the years, but the phases remain solid. That’s because it’s not about me personally – it’s about the proven path I’ve created for clients.

The Nuance: Sometimes People Need to Hear Your Background

Now, here’s the part I almost forgot – and the lesson I re-learned this summer.

As much as I believe in frameworks (and I do), not everyone knows you yet. Some people haven’t listened to your podcast, read your book, or seen your body of work. For them, hearing your background matters.

That doesn’t mean you rattle off your whole resume every time. It means you keep your audience in mind and share the right pieces of your story when it helps them trust you.

For example:

• If you’re working with a Fortune 100 client, they may need to hear your corporate experience.
• If you’re mentoring new entrepreneurs, they may need to hear about your early struggles and wins.
• If you’re leading with a framework, it may still help to mention that it’s grounded in decades of experience, education, or case studies.

The key is balance. Your framework positions you. Your background reinforces your credibility. Together, they create expert authority.

From Proving to Positioning: Making the Expert Authority Shift

So, how do you actually make this shift in your business? Here are four steps:

1. Lead with your framework. Package your expertise into a proprietary methodology that delivers a clear transformation.
   
2. State the problem and the path. Don’t just say you can help. Say, “I help people go from X to Y using my framework.”
   
3. Share your background strategically. When needed, highlight the parts of your experience that reinforce trust for that audience.
   
4. Keep your audience in mind. Always ask: what does this person need to hear to trust me? Sometimes it’s your framework. Sometimes it’s your story. Often it’s both.

When you shift from proving to positioning, you step fully into expert authority. You no longer chase validation – you create it.

The frustration of proving your expertise is real, I’ve felt it too. But the truth is, proving keeps you small. Positioning with a framework allows you to scale.

And when you balance that framework with the right pieces of your background, you create the kind of expert authority that attracts clients, builds trust, and grows your business.

So let me leave you with this: Stop proving. Start positioning. That’s the real path to expert authority.