Why all Generalists must have non-negotiables

A common mistake people who are generalists make is thinking just because they can do something, they should do it. The second mistake is thinking you’ll be happy doing it because you’re good at it. In my career I have made this mistake often but it recently occurred to me that while I really like variety I actually find that my flexibility means that I can flex too much, that I compromise myself and that that is often the reason I find myself unhappy at work.

Knowing what your non-negotiables are can help you to understand your career path, filter job opportunities and they help you to be authentic to yourself. This concept really resonated with me during a recent talk I listened to by speaker Lenora Billings-Harris. If you’re like me you’re often excited by the idea of new challenges but knowing what makes you your happiest self is so important. You may not always have the perfect job but you can be sure that the non-negotiables are in place.

How I found out what my non-negotiables are…

1. What am I good at?
It’s important to know what you’re good at in order to choose a career that suits you and that you will find success in. I first listed my strengths, then I asked a few work friends the same question. I was able to validate some of my personal judgment and was pleasantly surprised I could give myself a pat on the back on some positive perception my colleagues had of me. Be honest not modest.

2. When do I feel good at work?
I next asked myself “I feel good at work when…”. Words have power, if feeling good doesn’t do it try “I feel happy, rewarded, motivated when X happens”. Think of a time you felt that emotion and just write what comes to mind. This gives you insight into what your true motivators are. I found out that recognition and a sense my work was important is really critical for me.

3. What are the best and worst parts of my current job?
I then rated key attributes of my current role out of 10. It really gave me perspective although I think all of the below are likely to be on either your non-negotiable or nice to have list right?

a) Work/life balance
b) Salary
c) Opportunities for career advancement
d) Learning or personal development opportunities
e) Manager relationship and support

Give yourself specific examples, for example career opportunity could mean a promotion or managing a team if that is your goal.

4. When do I feel bad at work?
It’s important to know what demotivates you i.e. I feel upset at work when… I feel angry at work when… It might be the opposite of your positive list but often you will find that there are some things that really bother you — these are non negotiables.

5. What I want to improve
During my mini workshop I was able to gain perspective and remove a lot of the negative emotion I was holding onto from having compromised things that were important to me. I created a short list of these as specific projects for attitude improvement. ;)

The end goal was to know myself better. I have now created a list for myself of my ideal state and what are completely non-negotiable. I can answer if you ask me what is important for my next career move and what role I wouldn’t accept. No role will be 100% perfect but maintaining what’s really fundamental for your happiness, motivation and sense of values I believe can only lead you to success. More and more generalist type personalities are sought after to bridge multi disciplinary fields and the more we can be authentic to ourselves the more we will succeed in our chosen paths.

generalist(noun) A person with a broad general knowledge, especially one with more than superficial knowledge in several areas and the ability to combine ideas from diverse fields.