People Managing People Why Expertise Is Becoming Cheap—and What Leaders Must Build Instead
Mar 10, 2026
Chris Deaver, author and leadership coach who builds brave, collaborative cultures. He explains how fear hides behind polished performance. He warns that superhero mindsets and visibility incentives fracture teams. He argues AI makes expertise cheap and elevates co-creation, empathy, and discernment as lasting advantages.
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Fix Incentives That Reward Superheroes
- Change incentives that reward visibility over collaboration to reduce 'superhero' silo behavior.
- Chris Deaver recommends leaders maximize personal contribution while explicitly helping others maximize theirs to build team capability.
Expertise Is Becoming Commoditized
- Expertise is becoming commoditized as AI and tools replicate technical tasks, so knowing more is less of a durable advantage.
- Chris Deaver argues leaders must shift from being the smartest person to integrators who build shared context and wisdom.
Steve Jobs' Return As A Team Builder
- Steve Jobs' comeback shows the shift from siloed genius to team integrator who learned humility and empathy.
- Deaver references Ed Catmull's account of Jobs returning to Apple with Johnny Ive and a design-focused brain trust.
