Generalist + Specialist = Versatilists

For years, career advice has been stuck in an outdated debate:

• Be a specialist. Go deep, master one skill, become irreplaceable.
• No, be a generalist. Know a bit of everything, stay flexible, and pivot when needed.

But here’s the real question: Why are we still pretending it’s either-or? The professionals who consistently rise, lead, and innovate don’t fall into one of these categories. They operate on a different level entirely.

They are Versatilists—individuals who are experts in one core field but can also connect, collaborate, and think across different disciplines. These are the people who solve problems others can’t, work seamlessly across teams, and adapt quickly no matter how industries change.

T-Shaped to M-Shaped Professionals

Let’s take a quick trip through history and see how we’ve gotten to this point.

• T-Shaped Professionals: The term was introduced by David Guest in 1991. T-Shaped professionals have deep expertise in one field (the vertical part of the "T") and the ability to connect with others across disciplines (the horizontal part). This makes them specialists who can also collaborate effectively.
• Phi-Shaped Professionals: Building on the T-shaped model, Phi-Shaped professionals have two areas of deep expertise, making them even more powerful at bridging different fields and leading projects that require multiple types of knowledge.
• M-Shaped Professionals: These professionals go even further. They are masters of multiple deep specializations, combining many areas of knowledge to drive significant innovation and transformation.

And here’s the part most people miss: Versatilists aren’t just a future concept. They’re the people making a real impact today.

• Specialists alone struggle when their industry shifts.
• Generalists alone rarely reach mastery.

But Versatilists? They thrive.

• They solve problems creatively by drawing from different fields.
• They work better in teams because they understand various perspectives.
• They learn and adapt faster because they’re not limited to one area of expertise.

Versatilist Skills Inventory: What It Looks Like in Action

A Versatilist isn’t just an expert in one thing. They have depth in one area, but they also have the ability to collaborate, communicate, and think across many domains. Here’s how it looks in practice:

Software Engineer Example

• Vertical (Deep Expertise):
• Advanced Python programming
• Machine learning models
• Algorithm optimization
• Cloud computing
• Horizontal (Broad Knowledge & Collaboration):
• Product design principles
• Business strategy
• User experience (UX)
• Communication & storytelling

Digital Marketer Example

• Vertical (Deep Expertise):
• SEO strategy
• Paid advertising
• Content marketing
• Social media marketing
• Horizontal (Broad Knowledge & Collaboration):
• Consumer psychology
• Data analytics
• Public relations (PR)
• UX & web design

Business Leader Example

• Vertical (Deep Expertise):
• Financial modeling
• Data-driven decision-making
• Strategic planning
• Business process improvement
• Horizontal (Broad Knowledge & Collaboration):
• Leadership & coaching
• Digital transformation
• Change management
• Industry trends & emerging tech

From T-Shaped to becoming M-Shaped

It all starts with the T-Shaped professional—someone who has deep knowledge in one area, but who can also bring a broader understanding of other fields. But, to become a Versatilist who leads, it’s not enough to stay in one place. Here’s the evolution:

1. I-Shaped Professionals – These professionals are deep specialists with limited ability to collaborate outside of their area of expertise. They excel in one area but may struggle to work effectively with others.
2. T-Shaped Professionals – Here, the person has one strong vertical expertise but also brings a broad set of skills to the table. They connect across disciplines, making them much more effective in teams.
3. Pi-Shaped Professionals – These professionals have two deep expertise areas, making them even more versatile and capable of bridging multiple disciplines. They can lead projects that involve multiple fields.
4. M-Shaped Professionals – The ultimate evolution. These professionals have several areas of deep expertise. Their vast knowledge makes them highly adaptable, and they are able to lead complex projects and drive innovation across industries.

Your Horizontal Knowledge is a Seed for Future Mastery

Your horizontal knowledge isn't just surface-level understanding. It's not simply about knowing a little bit of everything—it's a seed for something far more powerful. This seed grows as you nurture it with curiosity and empathy, eventually transforming into new vertical expertise.

Here’s the thing: Curiosity and empathy are the driving forces behind this growth.

• Curiosity drives you to explore new things, to ask questions, and to seek out new knowledge. It pushes you to learn more than what's required in your specific role. This drive doesn’t just help you acquire skills—it fuels your ability to see connections across different fields and disciplines.
• Empathy, on the other hand, is what allows you to connect deeply with others—whether that’s fellow team members, clients, or stakeholders. It enables you to understand their perspectives, needs, and challenges. Empathy opens doors for collaboration, communication, and problem-solving in ways that specialists may miss because they are too focused on their own narrow expertise.

When curiosity and empathy combine, they fuel the growth of new knowledge, which leads to the creation of more verticals. Think of this process like planting seeds in a garden.

• The horizontal knowledge is like a seedling, and as you cultivate it with curiosity, it grows into a broader understanding. Each new skill you learn or perspective you gain becomes part of that seedling's growth.
• As you develop this broader base of knowledge, it opens up new possibilities for growth in other areas—leading to a new vertical. This vertical, in turn, triggers even more curiosity and empathy, which then leads to a new seed to be planted and nurtured.

But here's where things get interesting: As you deepen your vertical knowledge, it triggers a whole new set of possibilities for learning. These possibilities aren’t just limited to your original area of expertise—they might be in entirely new domains, or they might be personal growth areas that weren’t even on your radar before.

However, if you’re not curious enough, or if you don’t have empathy, then these new possibilities don’t matter. If you’re not open to learning or connecting with others, you won’t see these opportunities, and the growth potential of your career will stall. You need to keep those two qualities—empathy and curiosity—alive and well to unlock the next stage of growth.

As you continue to deepen one vertical, you start noticing things you hadn’t before. The more you develop your core expertise, the more you’ll see how it intersects with other fields—perhaps in business strategy, creative thinking, or even emotional intelligence.

For example:

1. If you are a software engineer who is also curious about design, your interest in user experience (UX) may lead to you creating designs that are not only functional but human-centered. Empathy enables you to understand the user’s journey, and curiosity drives you to learn more about how design principles work alongside coding.
2. If you're a digital marketer who’s curious about technology, you might start learning about data science. This curiosity will eventually turn into another vertical—analytics—and will make you more effective in predicting trends, improving strategies, and optimizing campaigns.
3. Similarly, if you're a business leader with deep expertise in financial modeling, your curiosity about leadership styles might trigger your empathy for how employees work, communicate, and collaborate. This could lead you to develop new ways of motivating and leading your team, making you a more effective and compassionate leader.

So, in a way, empathy and curiosity are the twin engines of growth—one fueling the exploration of new knowledge and the other fostering a deeper connection with others. And as both grow, they open up new pathways for vertical and horizontal development.

As this growth continues, the horizontal knowledge that started as a seedling now has the potential to blossom into a full forest of expertise, with multiple verticals blossoming along the way. The verticals you develop lead you to see the interconnectedness of all things, and the curiosity you cultivate opens up doors you never thought possible.

That’s the magic of being a Versatilist. You don’t just stop learning once you reach a certain point. Your empathy and curiosity keep you going, enabling you to build, grow, and adapt over and over again.

How Versatilists Excel in Teamwork

Now, think about a time when you’ve been in a meeting where different teams just couldn’t seem to align. Maybe:

• The engineers spoke in technical jargon.
• The marketing team threw in brand lingo.
• The finance team focused only on the numbers.

What happens? The project stalls because no one can translate between the teams.

But Versatilists are different. They dissolve those walls. They don’t need to know everything in every field—but they know just enough to connect everyone.

Because of their broad knowledge, Versatilists excel in teamwork. They can bridge the gap between teams, improving communication, collaboration, and ultimately, getting things done faster.

Here’s how they do it:

• They Reduce the Need for Micromanagement
  Leaders of teams made up of specialists often have to translate between departments, trying to make everyone understand each other. Versatilists, however, self-bridge these gaps, meaning leaders don’t need to constantly supervise every detail.

Example: A software engineer who understands user experience and business goals doesn’t need constant oversight to make sure their work aligns with the project’s big picture.

• They Act as Natural Connectors Between Teams
  Because Versatilists have a wide knowledge base, they naturally translate between different teams. They understand enough about multiple areas to ensure that no department feels left behind.

Example: A product manager who knows both engineering constraints and customer needs can mediate effectively between technical and marketing teams.

• They Are More Adaptable and Open to Change
  Unlike rigid specialists who may struggle when their industry changes, Versatilists embrace new tools and methods. Their curiosity drives them to learn and adapt, which makes them resilient in fast-changing environments.

Example: A digital marketer who understands data science and consumer behavior won’t panic when Google changes its algorithm—they’ll pivot with confidence.

• They Build More Collaborative, Creative Teams
  Versatilists ask the right questions, respect different viewpoints, and foster innovation through interdisciplinary thinking. This makes them better teammates and helps bring out the best in others.

Example: A project lead who can engage both technical developers and business executives helps ensure the whole team is on the same page, leading to better decision-making.

Becoming a Versatilist: How to Start

Becoming a Versatilist doesn’t happen overnight, but here’s how you can start:

1. Identify Your Deep Expertise – Build mastery in at least one core skill. This will be your foundation, the vertical part of your T.
2. Expand Your Horizontal Knowledge – Read, attend workshops, and learn across disciplines. For example, if you’re a designer, learn about coding. If you’re a data analyst, dive into business strategy.
3. Pick One Skill Outside Your Expertise – Invest 10 minutes a day learning it. Start with the basics, then practice it and find ways to apply it at work.
4. Work Across Teams – Collaborate with people from different departments. This will give you hands-on experience and expand your knowledge.
5. Embrace Lifelong Learning – The best Versatilists never stop learning. Stay curious and adapt to new industries and ideas.

And here’s the best part—this isn’t about being born with all the right skills.

It’s about making the choice to grow. It’s about becoming a better version of yourself.

And with that, the future, and present, are yours to shape.