Being "well-rounded" was an explicit expectation when I was growing up. 

It meant having a range of experiences, interests, and skills. To be a choir geek involved in activism with skills in statistical analysis was looked upon with great admiration.

So why are the vast majority of people I meet in social impact careers generalists who doubt your value?

When I meet with new and potential clients, the admission of being a generalist is often shared in whispered tones, tinged with shame. 

In a 2021 Forbes article, Paul Genberg describes a generalist as "a dabbler, an explorer, a learner — someone with broad knowledge across many topics and expertise in a few." He adds, "Generalists are likely to have a meandering career path." 

Sound familiar? 

Based on dozens of conversations with generalists (and my own generalist experience!), I've learned that it can be hard to hold this identity. Here's why:

You have too many choices

Because you *could* do a ton of different things, narrowing the boundaries can be incredibly difficult. Start with what you really want - not what's possible. 

It's hard to tell your story 

Very few of us have truly linear career paths, but it can appear that everyone else has an obvious path compared to us. 

Your interests change

Am I a bad person if I quit? Or if a role or topic that once felt exciting no longer does? Nope! You're just ready to learn something new! 

 ***

When it comes to communicating your value, here are some of the biggest assets you likely have as a generalist:

1. Making unexpected connections 

To be a generalist is often to be a dot-connector in subject areas, but also to bring a variety of perspectives and both broaden and strengthen the view and approach you take. This means many generalists are skilled strategists and leaders!

2. Cross-cultural communication 

You probably know how to deliver a message tailored to a particular audience and move between organizational and cultural contexts. That high EQ is a massive asset that specialists who have only worked in one area may struggle with.

3. Adaptability, Innovation, Creativity

Given the mixture of previous experience, skills, and surprising connections you've collected in your career, you likely also have some comfort with change, inclinations towards innovation, and the ability to be creative in many different contexts. 

***

Genberg also describes you as the orchestra conductor - you may not be the best violin player in the room, but you have a vision for bringing the many instruments together into a cohesive whole. You have a view of the direction we're moving in and how to move there together. 

The next time you're wondering what value you bring to a team or organization, imagine yourself as the conductor...and imagine the orchestra without a conductor. 

The right organization and team will benefit tremendously from you, your skills, knowledge, and experience. 

You've got this.

Julia

P.S. Want to go deeper? Check out Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein