Several years ago, I was engaged in a conversation with some of the senior strategists in the military and the debate between specialist and generalist entered the chat. As with many fields and professions, the debate has been waged for years. One of the keys to leading effectively is knowing when you need one and not the other, and how to leverage each according to their particular skill sets.
An argument was posed that the Army’s corps of strategists needed to be composed of a couple of subspecialties focused on planning (the people who specialize in the heavy mental lifting in translating policy to strategy) and educating (the people who specialize in teaching the art and science of strategy). While I agreed that those were necessary focus areas, I argued that we needed a third: generalists.
A generalist, I argued, is a utility infielder. They can plan and they can teach, but they can also take other positions in the infield as required. A senior leader needs a special projects director? Send a generalist. You need a senior advisor versed in strategy? Send a generalist. A commander needs someone to stand up an initiatives group? Send a generalist.
The Value of a Generalist
That’s not to say that specialists don’t have value. They absolutely do. If I’m having electrical work done in my home, I want an actual electrician doing the work. When I had a detached retina last summer, I wanted the best ophthalmologist in the area holding the tools. And when I file my taxes, I prefer a good accountant to an audit.
But a generalist – someone who possesses a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities – play a crucial role in any organization. In his 2025 book, The Generalist Advantage, Mansoor Soomro – who leads the Future of Work research at the Teesside University International Business School in Middlesbrough, England – notes that “generalists tend to have a diverse set of interests and abilities, allowing them to adapt and excel in various situations or roles.” He adds, “They often thrive in environments that require flexibility, creativity, and the ability to connect ideas from other fields.”
In other words, generalists are the utility infielders in the organization.
Soomro ascribes six superpowers to generalists:
1. Spurs innovation.
Breakthrough innovations typically occur at intersection points between fields, and this is where generalists excel.
2. Builds bridges.
With a naturally higher level of emotional intelligence and a wide array of experiences, generalists can connect and communicate across a diversity of fields.
3. Values foresight.
Generalists tend to keep an eye to the future and a focus on emerging patterns. It’s all about making the right decisions at the critical juncture and that means foresight is essential.
4. Adapts with ease.
The more fluid the situation, the greater the need for a generalist. Their wide range of experiences makes them naturally adaptive problem-solvers.
5. Comfortable with uncertainty.
Agility and adaptability are the hallmarks of a generalist. They’re more comfortable with uncertainty and risk than most people.
6. Fosters learning.
The generalist is naturally curious and always pursues learning opportunities. That drives a learning culture wherever they land.
The Path Less Traveled
Generalists tend to follow a meandering career path, one that exposes them to a wider array of experiences and challenges. That diversity helps them to better see connections and correlations, and their higher emotional intelligence allows them to collaborate more fluidly. In turn, they tend to see “the big picture” more clearly and can orchestrate the efforts of different fields and specialties in a variety of situations.
I spent years on that meandering path, sometimes purposely seeking out roles that would take me out of my comfort zone and pose no small career risk. I wanted to be challenged and, to be completely honest, the standard career path didn’t always offer that same sense of adventure. My experience was summed up nicely by Paul Genberg in a 2021 Forbes article: “I know enough about a lot of things to have intelligent conversations with all kinds of experts,” he wrote. “I can challenge their assumptions, or at least ask the right questions and use their lingo to better frame the problem and solution.”
So, what does it take to become a generalist. Genberg offers a few suggestions:
1. Say “yes” to new opportunities.
When someone offers you an “opportunity to excel,” give it serious consideration. If it makes you a little queasy, just say “yes.” That’s your strategic intuition talking.
2. Learn the language.
When I was a military planner, I spoke one language: maneuver. Why? Because every senior leader in the room was a maneuverist. Whatever path you choose to take, learn the language used on that path. It will open doors for you.
3. Dabble in different things.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. That’s the love language of a generalist. It’s also a superpower.
4. Never stop improving.
As a generalist, you can’t afford to stagnate. The status quo is your enemy. Push yourself constantly to learn new things, to develop additional skills, to broaden your talent set.
5. Mind your gaps.
Self-reflection is the key to thriving as a generalist. That voice inside your head that tells you that you’re out of your depth? What it’s really saying is that you have a knowledge or skill gap you need to close.
6. Start a side hustle.
I abhor this term. Branching out isn’t a side hustle, it’s pursuing projects and initiatives that might not be part of your job. That helps deepen your network while building your skill set, and often open doors to new opportunities.
In the forward to The Generalist Advantage, Soomro challenges us to “defy the confines of narrow expertise … embrace the breadth of interests, knowledge, skills, and experiences that transcend the boundaries of any single discipline or expertise.” That’s a call to action. Don’t allow someone to tell you to “narrow your focus” or “stay in your lane.” Set your own focus. Define your own lane. Be profoundly unique in your own way.
