You’re at this cool event, having a great time, and striking up interesting conversations with strangers. Then, someone asks you the dreaded question ” So, what do you do for a living?”
You knew you’d get this question, and you try your best to come up with an answer; your mind gets stuck like a Youtube video on a very bad Internet connection. How to convey all your interests and your projects in a concise answer that doesn’t bore your conversation partner?
If the previously described situation sounds familiar, let me tell you you’re not alone. It’s the burden of being a generalist! Some of us have a variety of interests and activities and may find ourselves working on multiple things at once.
And we wouldn’t feel comfortable being pigeonholed into a very specific category. That’s being a generalist.
It’s much more than just a jack-of-all-trades type of deal (although there’s some of that). In today’s world, it has the potential to be an extremely valuable edge, if we know how to leverage it.
In this introductory article, we’ll discuss the perks of being a generalist and address some tools and frameworks to think and solve problems that take full advantage of a generalist’s true nature.
We’ll also see some of the greatest and most successful generalists ever and try to learn from their accomplishments. Let’s go!
Disclaimer: I’ve used Bing AI to write this article: research, outline, and some writing suggestions.
What’s a Generalist Anyway?
In a world where change is the only constant, being a generalist is not only useful but also very valuable. As Steve Jobs once said: "The broader one's understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have."
Being a generalist requires not only observation but also reasoning and reflection. It's like being a Swiss Army Knife - equipped with different tools for different situations.
And while there are many different variants of generalists, most of us do share common characteristics that form our essence:
We’re quite adaptable. We can handle anything that comes our way and learns fast. In fact, we thrive in uncertainty.
We’re creative. Not bound by the limits of any one field, we see things differently and can combine ideas from different areas to create something truly unique. And we don’t get bored easily, either.
We’re cross-disciplinary: Our diverse skillset allows us to connect with people from all walks of life and uncover opportunities that others may miss.
There is evidence and research to support these claims, for example:
In his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein argues that generalists are more likely to succeed as complexity and uncertainty rise, thanks to their breadth of experience and curiosity to learn and improvise.
He cites examples from sports, science, music, art, business, and education, where generalists have outperformed specialists.
A study by Vanderbilt University found that Nobel prize winners in science are 22 times more likely than their peers to dabble in music, painting, writing, or acting.
The researchers suggest that engaging in diverse activities can enhance scientific creativity by providing new ways of thinking, seeing, and experiencing.
An article by Forbes lists some of the benefits of being a generalist in a professional environment, such as seeing the big picture, having more career options, being more resilient to change, and being more collaborative.
A report by McKinsey discusses the importance of having generalists in leadership positions, especially in times of crisis.
The report states that generalists are better at dealing with ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty, as they can integrate information from multiple sources, balance competing priorities, and make sound decisions.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to be a generalist on a day-to-day basis, quite the opposite in fact. Many myths and misconceptions float around about us multi-talented folks.
For one, people assume we're just jacks of all trades but masters of none. Which is not true. In fact, many generalists are actually ‘T-shaped’ individuals with both breadth and depth of skills.
Jack of all trades, a learner of some.
Another common misconception is that we're aimless wanderers with no clear career path or market fit.
While it’s true that purpose is something that we do struggle with every now and then (which is the main reason I am doing this, btw), there are ways we can temper that and even turn it into our benefit.
For example, many generalists find their purpose by discovering their Ikigai - the Japanese concept of finding your life goal (we’ll discuss it a bit below and in a different piece, too). So we're not just valuable, we're purposeful too.
But still, it sure is tough to navigate the diverse skillset that comes with being a generalist. The next section should help with that; we'll go through some frameworks and tools to help us find our true calling.
Tools of the (Jack of All) Trades
Being a generalist is cool, we have a vast array of skills and knowledge; fit for many problems. But it can be pretty overwhelming to figure out what to focus on and what to do. After all, what good is a great toolbox if you don’t even know how to use a hammer?
Not to worry, I’ve selected some helpful frameworks and tools that can help us organize our thoughts, prioritize our actions and generate ideas.
First Up: the T-Shaped Model.
For a generalist, it's all about balance - a broad base of knowledge and skills (the horizontal bar) and one or more areas of deep mastery/expertise (the vertical bar). Versatility with some differentiation is the best of both worlds.
Next Is the Above-Mentioned Ikigai Model.
Simply put, it’s about finding the intersection of what we love, what we’re good at, what the world needs, and what we can be paid for. It's like finding your own personal sweet spot where your skills and interests align with your values and goals.
The System Thinking Approach.
The core principle is understanding how different elements of a larger system interact and influence each other, and then identifying leverage points for change. That way, you’ll know just what string to pull to make things happen.
Last but Not Least Is the Lateral Thinking Technique.
It’s all about adopting alternative perspectives to solve problems that seem untractable initially. It’s a reframing technique, like thinking outside the box but with a whole new box that you didn't even know existed. Stay tuned for more in-depth articles on each one!
How to Get Started
Now, let's get practical and show you how to use these frameworks and tools. First, list all the topics you know about, such as tech, business, health, travel, and so on. Then, rank them based on your level of interest, confidence, and demand (and any other criterion you see fit).
From there, invest more time in learning and writing about those topics while still keeping a generalist approach to other areas, as per the T-shaped model.
Next, try to label these areas’ topics under "What I love," "What I'm good at," "What the world needs," and "What I can be paid for?”
Then brainstorm some ideas for each topic based on your skills, interests, values, and goals. For example, if you’re good at planning and organizing and you love managing projects, why not consider project management consulting as a potential vocation?
And if sustainable development is what the world needs, then solving problems in that area could be your mission!
Imagine these categories as circles overlapping (like a Venn Diagram). Draw up intersections of these categories to see what they represent: Passion meets skill? Managing projects. Passion meets purpose? Solving problems for sustainable development. Skill meets payment? Project management consulting.
And finally, when all four elements meet in the center of the circles - voila! You've found your Ikigai - project management consulting for sustainable development that aligns with your skills, interests, values, and goals.
In the next section, we’ll share some stories and learnings from successful generalists who have found their purpose and leveraged their diverse skills.
The Makings of a (Great) Generalist
You probably know these people, and you’ve heard of their accomplishments, but you probably never thought of them as generalists. Well, they were.
Leonardo Da Vinci for instance. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, inventor, scientist, mathematician, musician, writer, and more.
He created masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but he also made amazing discoveries and inventions in fields like anatomy, optics, mechanics, hydraulics, and aerodynamics.
He also wrote one of the earlier forms of resumes ever. And you wanna know what’s ironic? According to that resume, he didn’t consider his painting to be that important to him, he views himself as more of an architect/engineer!
Benjamin Franklin. He wrote, painted, and invented stuff like the lightning rod among other things. You know, just generalist stuff. He was also a relentless learner and never stopped teaching himself languages, joining clubs and societies…etc.
The list wouldn’t be complete (or stereotypical to a certain degree) without Steve Jobs. Co-founded Apple and Pixar, and more, which was mostly inspired by his experiences in calligraphy, Zen Buddhism, India...and LSD (yes, you read that right).
He also was very open to learning from different mentors and peers: Steve Wozniak, Jony Ive, John Lasseter...and Tim Cook.
Their secret? Non-stop learning, accumulating experiences even though they may seem irrelevant to them at the time. Exactly what generalists naturally do, in fact.
Now, the goal here is not to copy them and their achievements, but rather try to learn from them and identify the patterns that allowed this kind of individual to find their purpose. Success is a consequence of that process.
Don't be a one-trick pony - be a jack of all trades (and master of some). Be open to learning, keep exploring, and never stop trying things. Trust yourself and trust the process.
In the next article, we’ll dive deeper into system thinking. We’ll learn what system thinking is, why it matters, and how to use it in practice. We’ll also see some examples and exercises to help you boost your system thinking skills.
So stay tuned and get ready to be a better generalist and a better system thinker!
If you liked this article, please spread the word and let me know what you think! You can find me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
For more content on generalists, subscribe to the Generalist Thinkbox newsletter!
This article is part of a series on the topic of generalists and how they can find their purpose. We’ll provide opinion pieces, but also practical guides as well as interviews with contemporary generalists who’ll share their journey with us. Stay tuned!
References:
forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/06/03/the-value-of-being-a-generalist/