“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question plagued me throughout my childhood and into my college days. The truth was, I loved learning about almost everything—biology, literature, geometry, history. The world was a fascinating place, and virtually everything piqued my curiosity but never with enough force to propel me toward a single profession.
I spent years giving adults the answers I thought they wanted to hear—doctor, astronaut, journalist—but I recently found some comfort in my wide breadth of interests in the pages of David Epstein’s fascinating book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Epstein describes two types of contributors: specialists and generalists. Specialists spend years cultivating a single area or skill set, while generalists have a range of interests, experience, and abilities.
Is that what I had always been—a generalist? And what does that even mean?
The ‘Wicked’ Work World
According to Epstein, there are two types of learning environments: kind domains and wicked domains. Specialists thrive in “kind” domains (think chess or golf), where the rules are clearly defined and patterns repeat themselves, allowing for accurate and timely feedback. Generalists, Epstein argues, excel in “wicked” domains. Here, the rules are unclear, incomplete, or ever-changing; patterns are difficult to discern, if they exist at all; and feedback based on past results may steer us in the wrong direction.
Most modern workplaces are wicked learning environments. The key challenges and conditions for success are continually shifting. Emerging technologies unlock new possibilities every day while eroding the value of tasks that can now be automated. Customer and employee expectations are in a state of constant flux.
While generalists are particularly well suited to the modern work world, Epstein argues they tend to be undervalued.
Upon examining my own team through the lens of Epstein’s framework, I realized that many of our best problem-solvers are, in fact, generalists. While organizations need specialists and generalists, today’s companies are not treating their generalists like the valuable assets they can be. It’s time to change that.
In Praise of Generalists
Generalists are not dabblers. Curious, imaginative, and willing to experiment, they bring unique combinations of transferable skills that make them ideally suited to tackle the unpredictability of the post-pandemic workplace. Generalists thrive in ambiguity and see the bigger picture, forging connections among siloed teams to identify new solutions.
In the past, generalists played a secondary role, filling gaps not covered by specialists. These days, though, generalists are in high demand. O.C. Tanner’s 2023 Global Culture Report found that 63% of employees say their organization has hired more generalists than specialists in the past year.
But our research also found that generalists are more likely than specialists to feel burned out, undervalued, and unrecognized. More than half of generalists (56%) believe there is no clear career path for them, with 35% feeling excluded from promotions. Nearly half (48%) say specialists move up the career ladder more quickly.
The reality is that most organizations are set up to reward employees who fit into well-defined boxes and follow heavily trodden career tracks. Here are some strategies for changing that to make 2023 the year of the generalist:
Provide Growth Opportunities and Success Metrics
Generalists want to develop their skills and advance in their careers as far and as quickly as other employees. Because their career trajectories are less established, they need well-defined, highly individualized goals they can work toward and opportunities to expand their skills.
Our research shows that when leaders give their people the opportunity to work on interesting projects, they more than double the odds they’ll produce great work and feel engaged. When generalists have opportunities to work on projects that develop and stretch them, this benefits both individuals and their organizations.
This certainly rings true for me. Some of my biggest career leaps have come after I simply raised my hand to fill a need. Each time, I learned new skills that enhanced my value to the company and energized me personally.
Nurture a Generalist Mindset
As more companies embrace an “agile” approach, in which cross-functional teams solve problems by working together, even specialists can benefit from adopting a generalist mindset.
One leading early-stage investment company invests in its interns and fellowship program participants by taking a 70/30 approach to working and learning. Seventy percent of interns’ and fellows’ time is spent on projects, while 30% is spent expanding their knowledge by reading books, assisting in a range of areas, and participating in educational workshops.
Recognize Generalists’ Contributions
Generalists’ contributions can be harder to pinpoint because they often involve enhancing the work of their specialized colleagues. But our research shows that recognition has an even more powerful impact on generalists than on specialists.
To be effective, recognition must be personalized, frequent, and tied to a variety of specific accomplishments. When a global tire manufacturer developed an employee recognition program, its leadership team made sure to prize innovation and teamwork across functions—critical areas where generalists can shine.
Connect Generalists to Their Strengths
Like all employees, generalists thrive when they have a chance to excel. Because they bring a unique set of capabilities and interests, organizations need to ask them what their strengths are and provide opportunities for them to leverage these—perhaps by encouraging their influence to cross departments or create entirely new roles.
When generalists have cross-disciplinary projects that challenge them, they are more than four times as likely to produce great work. They’re also twice as likely to feel connected to teams, leaders, and the organization.
The Rise of the Generalist
Look around: What’s the mix of generalists and specialists in your own organization? Are you overlooking your generalists? How might you cultivate their ability to advance and make a powerful contribution?
As we embark on another “wicked” year filled with uncharted and continually shifting terrain, generalists have the potential to be more valuable than ever. Let’s make sure we give them a chance to shine.
Mindi Cox is chief people officer at O.C. Tanner.