2 days ago
The surprising power of being a generalist
I learned very early in my professional life that there are two paths to career success. Become an expert at one specific thing. Or master a few skills and leverage them simultaneously.
The second option is working for me. Becoming a 'skills-powered' professional is how I can survive the future of work. The 'narrow expert' path doesn't work for everyone. New research from McKinsey shows that 44% of Americans want to switch careers, but nearly half say their biggest obstacle is a lack of skills. The biggest skills gap isn't a lack of technical knowledge; it's a lack of adaptability. Employers want people who learn fast, wear different hats, and solve cross-functional problems.
In short, they want generalists.
Just be enough
You don't need to be everything. You just need to be enough of many things. You can't master everything. That's not the point. A generalist is strategically skilled in diverse areas. They are able to connect the dots others don't see. As David Epstein writes in his bestselling book Range, 'Modern work demands knowledge transfer — the ability to apply knowledge to new situations and domains.' To thrive in the future of work, think of yourself as a Swiss Army knife, built for the complexity of the productive environment.
Skill stacking
What you can do now is stack your skills. Then make them talk to each other. What makes you indispensable isn't in any one ability. It's a combination of transferable skills. Let's say you're decent at writing, coding, and psychology. Individually, none of those put you at the top. But together? You might be the professional an employer needs to design an app with a better user interface. And human behaviour knowledge is integrated into every interaction. Skill stacking can raise your market value by making you proficient (if not necessarily exceptional) in multiple areas.
Make peace with not being 'the best'
In any room, there's always someone who knows more about something. Becoming a generalist means focusing on what fits you. It means letting go of being 'the best' at one thing, especially when the rules keep changing. Become the most adaptable. The most curious. The most useful in unexpected ways. Employers want people with a diverse skill set who can adapt to the changing demands of work.
A generalist has a beginner's mindset
Every new skill you learn humbles you. It teaches you to learn faster, listen better, and synthesize across departments. Over time, you stop pursuing titles and start stacking tools that can help you become adaptable. Right now, talent is everywhere. AI can out-code us. Specialists can outshine in narrow fields. But no one else can have your exact set of skills, experiences, and insights. Your generalist path can become your defence against becoming obsolete.
Don't just pursue a career. Build capability
Careers are changing fast. Roles are disappearing. Even titles are evolving. But capabilities stick. Learn how to write clearly. Think critically. And present ideas. Invest in survival skills. They're what employers really want. Being good at many things, combined with the ability to switch context fast, is now a competitive edge. I'm not saying reject mastery. If something makes you come alive, by all means, hone in on it. But be open to building a bridge across many domains.
You don't need to fit into one box
The world of work won't stop changing.
Professionals like you who adapt, connect and evolve will be ready for the uncertainties. It's how you stay useful when the rules change. The more skills you build, the more freedom you earn. Freedom to switch, lead, and secure your career. Stack your skills. You don't need to out-specialize anyone. You just need to be able to connect the dots that matter. And solve problems from multiple angles. A generalist knows how to learn, pivot, and apply knowledge across fields.
Get into what excites you
Become what psychologist Carl Rogers calls the 'fully functioning person.' Someone open to experience and always evolving. The best generalists are not just jacks-of-all-trades; they're masters of reinvention. Specialists see the trees. Generalists see the forest and the paths between them. You can offer both skills and perspective. That's why companies now prioritize learning ability over fixed expertise. Stay curious. Stay flexible. The future isn't about what you know. It's about how fast you can learn. Like Bruce Lee said, 'Be water, my friend.' That's how generalists win.
