Being a generalist has never been more powerful. We are now witnessing Artificial Intelligence that masters deep domains in minutes, becoming a specialist on demand.
Our edge as humans lies in our ability to extract and understand the nuances of human emotion, to bring novel and creative ideas to the table, and to navigate the complex, often irrational world of human interactions. This is the power of the generalist.
My own journey has been unconventional, far from linear. Beginning in a startup, navigating the complexities of a scale-up, and cutting my teeth in a large enterprise, I've experienced many diverse functions that have shaped me in ways I couldn't have anticipated.
I've struggled many times with the question of how to introduce myself in simple terms — as a Product Leader, a Marketing, a Sales, or Operations leader. I felt boxed in when others tried to define me. The truth is, I'm really a generalist.
Finally, I feel the world is ready to embrace more generalists and utilize them effectively.
How do you build the human edge in this AI-augmented world? At its core, it is the pursuit of connecting the dots across diverse experiences and knowledge domains, deepening your understanding of emotional intelligence, and navigating the complexity of human interactions.
Here are some nuances I've observed over the years, many experienced myself or observed in others while working at startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises:
Growth is painful, but essential. A generalist thrives on the challenge of mastering diverse roles and excelling in each new position. The constant adaptation to new ways of doing things takes time and patience. Recognize that you're going through a period of change. It's hard to see while you're in it, similar to toddlers with teething pains or teens forming their personalities with mood swings.
Miniaturize success. Given the constant change and diverse experiences, you may find yourself on new, unproven paths. You might be coming from a place where you've established respect and credibility, but in a new role or venture, measuring success can be challenging, especially if the business is in its infancy. You'll need to adjust your perspective and miniaturize the meaning of success. I believe in the practice of sharing "Some Good News" for every team, celebrating small wins along the way.
Having thick skin helps. When your ideas are shot down, starting from a place of respect and trust for your colleagues helps. Sometimes you may be wrong without realizing it. If you still feel strongly about an idea, table it and come back to it later. Disagree, but commit.
Emotions can cause clutter. We are all emotional beings. When you set aside people's heightened emotional states, you get a clearer picture of what needs to be done. Clarity takes time and is a process, and emotions can sometimes hinder that process.
Build quietly. If you strongly believe in something, build it quietly. This could be a small project that takes minimal resources but might otherwise distract the company. Execute and prove it in small ways.
Phone calls are powerful. Many things get solved over a phone call. I prefer this to a scheduled video call, which can feel like another time drain. If I need to unblock myself and catch up, phone calls work best. Scheduling another meeting comes with burden and overhead.
No role is as sexy as it seems. There isn't one glamorous role like product, marketing, or strategy — you can make an impact in many ways. In a startup, you have to roll up your sleeves and appreciate the mundane. Similar to relationships, cooking together, getting groceries, and picking up your kids – these are moments where true relationship building happens. Hoping to build a relationship over a fancy vacation doesn't always help. Be present and be okay with the mundane. Small things make big things happen. Set your ego aside.
Don't try to win. Success isn't measured by whether your opinion wins over others. Instead, focus on bringing the right topics to the surface with the right people. We have a team of individuals with strong opinions (rightfully so), so hear them out. Also, know that most decisions are not a democratic process, as a select few will have the final voice.
Focus on what you can control. We work on challenging problems that need to be broken down. You can't control everything, so focus on areas you can influence and deliver. Product messaging is a great example with strong opinions, rightfully so. I hear that Mark Benioff still makes decisions on messaging to this day. There are many decisions you can control when you break down each problem accordingly. Remember that your job is not to solve everything by yourself – it is to bring problems to the surface and moderate the conversation.
Protect your time. You shouldn't want to be in all meetings. Do not assume your invitation to a meeting with executive leadership is a measure of your importance. It is not. Especially at startups, velocity is crucial, and you'll need to protect your time to focus on what's most important.
Embrace big ambition and a "can-do" attitude. We have huge ambitions. Many projects will feel too big and impossible. Start with a "can-do" attitude, and you'll surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
Take more risks. We all come from a place of unconscious bias that inhibits our progress. You may be uncomfortable making some decisions, but remember that while new ideas are risky, you have the option to evaluate progress and reverse course if needed.
Staying power matters. If there's one thing that matters most, it's staying power. You'll never experience true learning and growth if you're not patient. Stay long enough to experience those small wins every day and see the bigger impact over the years.
Learn how to get stuff done. As President Obama said, this is the key to building a career. The ability to turn ideas into action and navigate diverse situations, delivering results regardless of the challenges you face, is crucial.
In an age where AI can quickly become an expert in narrow fields, your ability to understand human dynamics, navigate ambiguity, and draw from a wide range of experiences becomes your superpower.
Embrace uncertainty. Seek out diverse roles. Make time for creativity and reflection. In the end, your ability to adapt, create, and see the bigger picture will set you apart in an AI-augmented future.
