When was the first time you used Microsoft Excel? Well, if you are my age, it was probably in the late 1990s or early 2000s. You’re probably using Excel for many different situations in your work and life, such as maintaining databases, personal finance management, budgeting, planning, and many other scenarios.
But if I ask you to do a “Flash Fill” in an Excel data sheet, there’s a chance at least 8 out of 10 people reading this right now will go “WTH is Flash Fill?”
While Flash Fill is a life-saving feature in MS Excel, that’s not the only lesser-known feature in that tool.
Now, here’s the thing.
It doesn’t matter how few people are aware of these advanced features of MS Excelโif you ask the question “Do you know how to work in MS Excel?”, 90% of people will give you a resoundingly confident “yes!” answer.
But do they really know Excel?
That’s what I call the “Excel Fallacy”.
The Excel Fallacy is the mistaken belief that you are highly competent with a technology or tool, like MS Excel, simply because you have used a minimal set of its features for a very long time.
๐ To test if you are a victim of this fallacy, answer these questions:
โฆ๏ธ Do you think you know MS Excel? (Y/N)
โฆ๏ธ Have you used MS Excel for more than 10 years? (Y/N)
โฆ๏ธ Do you know how to operate a VLOOKUP function in MS Excel? (Y/N)
โฆ๏ธ Do you know how to operate an XLOOKUP function in MS Excel? (Y/N)
โฆ๏ธ Do you know how to operate a GETPIVOTDATA function in MS Excel? (Y/N)
โฆ๏ธ Do you know how to operate a FLASH FILL function in MS Excel? (Y/N)
If your answer is “YES” for the first two questions and “NO” for more than one of the remaining questions, you are a victim of the Excel fallacyโbelieving that you are highly competent with MS Excel simply because you have used a minimal set of its features for a very long time. The same could happen with your use of ChatGPT and all the new AI tools after using them for the next 10 years.
In my training sessions on prompt design for ChatGPT, I have observed that 95% of people without prior training will always consider an AI prompt simply as an extended Google search query.
Many still don’t utilize any of the advanced reasoning models for complex problem-solving situations, and very rarely do people employ advanced capabilities such as “agent mode” or “deep research” mode in these AI tools.
Do a quick skills test to see if you are truly “AI Ready” or not. Take this skills test, designed by APIDM, which will grade your AI skills progressively from AI Laggard to AI Ready.
So beware of those who tell you “Nah! There’s nothing for us to LEARN in using these toolsโthey are just intuitive”.
๐๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ.
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I’m coining the term “The Excel Fallacy” today because this phenomenon desperately needs a name. As professionals, we can’t address what we don’t acknowledge. Whether it’s Excel today or the next game-changing AI tool tomorrow, falling into the competency trap will separate the leaders from the laggards. Don’t let familiarity fool you into thinking you’ve mastered the toolโtrue expertise demands continuous learning and exploration of advanced capabilities. ๐ The Excel Fallacy starts here. Remember where you first heard it.
