What Specifically Do Generalists Do?

In other words, lots of people see themselves as generalists, whether they use the word or not, and lots of people realize the value of these interstitial roles but not many brag about it, and not many hire for it.

Generalists have the advantage of interdisciplinary knowledge, which fosters creativity and a firmer understanding of how the world works. They have a better overall perspective and can generally perform second-order thinking in a wider range of situations than the specialist can.

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

... See more