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

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generalist specialist

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

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

Real World Examples of Interpersonal Communication Skills

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Interpersonal communication isn’t an exact science that can be solved with a math equation or with a formula. Interpersonal skills are complicated as they depend on the context of the situation, social cues and the personal experience of those involved. With so many different signals that can influence your communication, it’s important to have a tangible understanding of what good interpersonal communication entails.  Once you can master interpersonal communication,  you will benefit both personally and professionally. ...  read more

Bad Leadership: 5 Warning Signs and 2 Simple Solutions

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bad leadership

There can be many bad leaders in one organization.  Why?  Ironically, it’s because bad leadership creates a vicious cycle.  Bad leaders promote other bad leaders, either because they don’t know any better or they don’t want to be found out.  If you’re a kick-ass doer in an organization full of bad leaders, you won’t get promoted for one of two reasons. ...  read more

4 Principles of Great Interpersonal Communication Skills

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Interpersonal communication is an important skill across all facets of your career. Whether you’re aware of it or not, interpersonal communication is present when you’re interviewing for a job, talking with your co-workers, or asking for a promotion.

Even when you do well across the ‘hard’ skills, such as data analysis, accounting, programming, you still won’t fare as well if your “soft” business skills aren’t up to snuff.  And a big ‘soft skill’ is your interpersonal communication – the ability to empathize and communicate with others in a personal, positive way will help you work effectively with your co-workers, team members, and your leaders.   Once you have an understanding of how best to articulate yourself both verbally and through non-verbal cues, you’ll be better off professionally (and in your personal life!) ...  read more

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers – 3 Tips

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dealing with difficult coworkers

We all come across difficult coworkers.   How we deal with them can fundamentally affect our career and happiness.  Below is a real life situation from an avid reader around dealing with difficult co-workers.   I am thankful she reached out so I can not only help her but also shared this situation and my advice with any of you in similar situations. ...  read more