The Magpie Mind

When everything is in flux, we need people who can move across worlds. In times of upheaval, grief, anxiety and rising discomfort, polymaths—those who wear many hats, blend skills, and cross disciplines—are essential.They thrive in the spaces between, finding connections others might miss.When things shift beneath us, it’s these transitional thinke... See more

Rise of the Generalist Sources

1. “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World,” David Epstein, 2019.


2. “The Skillful Corporation,” McKinsey Quarterly, Five Fifty, 2018.


3. “The Fastest Path to the CEO Job, According to a 10-Year Study,” Elena Lytkina Botelho, Kim Rosenkoetter Powell, and Nicole Wong, Harvard Business Review, January 31, 2018.


4. “Harv

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And in the modern workscape we desperately need people with the ability to see big picture solutions. That’s where being a polymath has certain advantages.

The synthesis and cross-pollination of ideas from diverse fields presents low-hanging fruit for both individuals and society. The investment of time and effort required to become a specialist quickly runs into a point of diminishing returns. By contrast, accumulating a ‘talent stack’ of dilettante-level knowledge or skills can unlock insights and o

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