the rise of the generalist

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The Rise of the Generalist New Problems Require New Approaches @reuvengorsht

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Page 1: The Rise of the Generalist

The Rise of the

Generalist

New Problems Require New Approaches

@reuvengorsht

Page 2: The Rise of the Generalist

Almost every organization looks like this

Page 3: The Rise of the Generalist

HR

With Specialist organizations Designed to support business priorities

Finance R D

IT

Page 4: The Rise of the Generalist

They value deep domain expertise, efficiency and process execution

Domain expertise efficiency process execution

Page 5: The Rise of the Generalist

You get hired, promoted and measured based on your expertise and value-add in your particular specialization

Page 6: The Rise of the Generalist

Going back to 1776, in Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, division of labor always represented a qualitative

increase in productivity

Page 7: The Rise of the Generalist

We’ve built our entire society and educational system around

specialization

Page 8: The Rise of the Generalist

The way to move up the ladder is to focus and get good at something

VP of HR CIO VP of Procurement

VP of Sales

Page 9: The Rise of the Generalist

However, issues that businesses face today are

MUCH MORE COMPLEX

Page 10: The Rise of the Generalist

And when complex problems arise,

WHAT

HOW WHY

BUT

HUH

Page 11: The Rise of the Generalist

Odds are they don’t always intersect within areas of specialization

Page 12: The Rise of the Generalist

Each specialist sees the problem through

THEIR OWN LENS

Page 13: The Rise of the Generalist

Which leads to

NARROW perspectives

Page 14: The Rise of the Generalist

While some companies have been successful in bringing together cross-functional teams to work together towards a

Common goal

Page 15: The Rise of the Generalist

Many resort to creating more

specialized silos

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Hiring

MORE SPECIALISTS to facilitate communications between specialists

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But this only increases

Complexity and distance from THE customer

Page 18: The Rise of the Generalist

Problems remain unsolved

Page 19: The Rise of the Generalist

The bottom line is that capabilities needed to win in the marketplace are

much broader than they were in the past

Page 20: The Rise of the Generalist

What organizations really need are

Generalists with new and agile skills

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But aren’t Generalist

jacks of all trades masters of none

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NOT AT ALL!

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The new Generalist is a master of their trade

They bring expertise and experience FROM several areas

Page 24: The Rise of the Generalist

They see

the big picture

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They understand and can synthesize

the full scope at hand

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They are fueled by insatiable curiosity and the ability to

LEARN AND UNLEARN new concepts and ideas.

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They act like the hub of a wheel

Connecting teams of experts

Page 28: The Rise of the Generalist

They complement specialists, by challenging them to think differently

but never compete with them or take credit for their ideas

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they can reframe, package and present ideas, helping decision makers visualize

the future.

As outstanding communicators

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by understanding and personally diffusing resistance to change.

they encourage and promote change from within

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The new generalist is

courageous,  the ultimate balancer of competing interests,

and a natural strategic thinker

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the specialist and the generalist

The modern organization needs both

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But it requires rethinking

how we recruit and how we manage

Page 34: The Rise of the Generalist

Generalists don’t typically fit

In a box

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NEW SKILLS need to be DEVELOPED

Page 36: The Rise of the Generalist

HOW CAN YOU SPOT a great GENERALIST?

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Attitude first not only experience

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Intellectually curious  (to an extreme level)  

meta name="keywords"  content="HTML,  CSS,  XML,  

XHTML,  JavaScript”

Page 39: The Rise of the Generalist

ALWAYS CONNECTS THE DOTS

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Can imagine EVERYTHING From a different perspective

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Leads by influence and collaboration

Page 42: The Rise of the Generalist

Constantly challenges THE status quo and

Encourages new wayS of doing things

Page 43: The Rise of the Generalist

ARE YOU READY FOR The rise of the generalist?

@reuvengorsht www.reuvengorsht.com