Kristy Camarillo

A generalist is a person who is a competent jack of all trades, with lots of divergent useful skills and capabilities; A specialist is someone with distinct knowledge and skills related to a single area.

Nothing can substitute for depth of analysis, and there's proven value in specialization – it's what education, career paths, scientific research, and technological innovation are built on – but generalism is a secret talent.

People who appreciate diversity, who are in the know about the wider world and who understand how things interact are... See more

Often times, when there’s a discussion about generalists, the words “bridge” or “translator” will pop-up.

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.

I think these roles point to something a bit broader: the need for more generalist, or at least outlier, roles in organizations.

Everyone wants to be picked, but no one wants to organize the collective ‘we’.

It’s the ‘we’ that creates a school of thought, a movement, a network, a culture.

Curate, connect, organize and lead.