Stop Being a Generalist
There are perks to being a generalist but it’s the specialists that rise faster and command more money
What’s your favorite restaurant? I bet none of you will name a buffet. Even pre-COVID, buffets were known for having a little bit of everything but loved by nobody.
Yet many pursue the buffet strategy in careers: jack of all trades, master of none.
Allure of the buffet
I started my career in the buffet line. One of the advertised perks of consulting is you get a taste of everything! Who doesn’t want endless variety? Same with rotational programs. It’s music to the ears of commitment-phobes everywhere.
The truth is a bit more nuanced. You do get variety, but there are some catches:
- Is your exposure an accurate view of what it’s really like?
- Can you handle the paradox of choice?
In consulting, I struggled with both. The cases varied widely from pure theory to boots on the ground implementation, but mostly I learned more about being a consultant than how to operate in the client’s shoes.
The 30-thousand-foot view of a dizzying array of choices made the future foggier, not clearer. But the experience did give me three gifts:
