South Africa, Aug. 19 -- You know the call. It's 9 PM. You're finally doing something that isn't work, and your phone buzzes. A journalist needs a quote. They've already written the story. They just need "expert confirmation" for paragraph six. You're flattered. You say yes. You get a line. You're an SME - a Subject Matter Expert.

And for that, you get a footnote. Not a platform.

Subject Matter Expert

Let's talk about that word: SME. It's a problem, because it already stands for something else - Small and Medium Enterprise.

And in reputation terms, that's exactly what it feels like: being a small voice in a room full of Thought Leaders.

You're technically brilliant. You can answer any question thrown at you. But you're answering ques...