What’s special about generalists

I was told I was a jack of all trades and that in order to gain credibility I needed to specialise.

As a result of spending so many years absorbing other people’s feedback and internalising it so much I tried to pretzel myself into different shapes, and on the one occasion a role, in order to ‘fix’ this, thinking it would get me promoted.

For a long time, I apologised for being a generalist.

Now, I talk about it with pride-in talks, in coaching, in writing, in interviews. Thank you to the brilliant people I’ve shared conversations with this week on this very topic.

It took me a while to see it, but having a little bit of knowledge about a lot of things has allowed me to contribute more broadly in the rooms where it matters. Being inch-deep and mile-wide in most of my roles, rather than inch-wide and mile-deep, has been my strength. It’s helped me see other views and angles, connect dots, and create the conditions for others to shine.

My superpower isn’t being the expert.

It’s creating the space where experts thrive.

Over the years, I’ve been so fortunate to work with some incredible specialists and generalists. I’ve seen how powerful it is when both come together - curiosity meeting depth, breadth meeting focus.

I know from speaking with others that embracing generalism can feel difficult.

The environments you work in often reward depth over breadth. Leaders talk to you about their inch-wide, mile-deep priorities, so you try to fit in with that. Job descriptions list expertise you don’t think you possess.

But trust me, it is a superpower.

The leaders who will inherit the future are those that can hold the healthy tension between the now and the next. If you can create the ‘yes, and’ conversation spaces, not the ‘yes, but’. If you can connect the dots and bridge the conversations to new thinking, helping people create something bigger and better together than they can do alone.

So if this sounds like you, if you’ve ever felt too broad, too curious, too all-over-the-place, be proud of the experiences that have brought you here.

And if you ever need help uncovering those strengths, that unique set of experiences that make you, you, give me a shout.

I am no expert.

But I do feel where you might be.

I should caveat that generalist powers have their limitations. It has been suggested I should be more generalist in my animal appreciation and paraphernalia. Unfortunately my expertise seems to fall exclusively to Highland cows…🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿