How to Get Promoted as a Generalist in a Company Full of Specialists

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Are you a “Generalist” or “Specialist” at your company?   Both exists in most companies and serve distinct purposes.  According to Merriam-Webster dictionary

  • Generalist is defined as “a person who knows something about a lot of subjects.” –  a Partner in a consulting firm is  a generalist as he or she would sell work, build relationships, and lead execution teams.
  • Specialist is defined as “a person who has special knowledge and skill relating to a particular job, area of study” –  a Director in a consulting firm is a specialist who usually go deep on a topic but focus on a specific set of tasks (e.g., Lead execution or serve as SME for all Salesforce implementation for financial service industries)

Are you more likely to be promoted as a “Generalist” or a “Specialist” in a company?   Many may actually say Generalist are more likely to be promoted.  This is because many of our famous leaders, including the US President, are “Generalist.”  Our president needs to deal with domestic issues such as gay marriage, abortion, health care, education, etc.. and at the same time know what to do in foreign policy with every major country. ...  read more

My First Piano Recital – 3 Lessons Learned

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Last week, I performed my first piano recital.   My immediate reaction afterwards was I was “terrible.”  I literally made a mistake on 3 out of 4 songs, including forgetting where I was completely for a sec.  My fingers were shaking the whole time.

  • I was unprepared for the crowd.   It wasn’t supposed to be a regular recital.  My teacher told me it was more like background music, while people were walking around enjoying the Halloween decorations. She was misinformed.  People sat and listened to all the performances.
  • I psyched myself out.   I was one of the few adults performing.  The kid before me performed this beautiful piece.  She is much more advanced than I and only 9 years old.   The more I thought about her, the more nervous I became right before my performance.  “Is the crowd expecting Beethoven from me?”  I may be in my 40s, but my piano playing is merely beginner.
  • I didn’t expect to be nervous. Having presented in front of many senior executives and led large training sessions, I didn’t think I would be nervous in front of a small group of strangers at a community gathering.  I practiced the songs many times, but I wasn’t mentally prepared for any nervousness.  A rookie mistake!

I share this story because I know it’s hard to try something new when we are adults.   But I also know it’s the only way to evolve our skills and ourselves.   Here are 3 lesson learned from this less than perfect piano recital. ...  read more

Interpersonal Skills Example – Can You Let It Go?

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interpersonal skills example 3

This interpersonal skills example can happen any day at work or in life.  It was our second day in Beijing.  My cousin, my mom, and Isabel went to visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  It was majestic, fun, but a super long walk.  By 1pm, we were all exhausted, hungry and decided to Uber back to the hotel. ...  read more

Interpersonal Skills Example: How to Disagree with “The Boss”

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My cousin in China has been running a travel agency for 20 years. She’s one of those people who knows exactly how to maintain good relationships.  During my trip to China, I learned one interpersonal skills example after another from her.

First, some background: my oldest daughter and I visited our extended family in China together for the first time two months ago.  My parents decided to come, too, since grandpa turns 90 this year.  It was a four-generation family reunion!  While the following examples are all related to my family trip, they also apply to the work place. ...  read more