The million $$ blindspot

Most companies don't fail because they lack expertise. They fail because they can't connect it effectively.

I’ve seen it many times. Misaligned teams. Experts stuck in silos. Good ideas not seeing daylight. Painfully slow change. When these problems compound, money runs out, top talent leaves. Companies die.

Throughout my career, I've seen how generalists naturally solve these problems.

But there's a problem.

Right now, companies are trying to do more with less while racing to keep up with AI and rapid market changes. The old way of having tons of specialists who each handle one thing isn't working anymore–it's too slow and expensive.

In times like this, generalists aren't just nice to haves—they're how you stay ahead.

But I was seeing a deep incongruence. I knew that generalists were valuable, but it seemed companies didn’t. Why aren’t there dedicated spaces for us on your org chart? Why does my growth roadmap look the same as a specialists?

What works for my specialist peers, doesn’t work for me.

And so I set about finding out. We went live with a survey, hoping to understand what (frankly) nobody had bothered to ask before.

What is it like being a generalist in a modern organisation today?

589 generalists responded, and the patterns that emerged, are…loud.

This report will explore:

• findings from our ‘understanding generalist survey’

• stories & patterns of generalists in the workplace

• questioning if our current hiring system is setting generalists up for failure

I want to be transparent—this is not a rigorous research study. This survey is laying the groundwork for a broader State of the Generalist report, and there is much more work to be done.

It tells the story of how people with non-linear paths feel. It is a collection of stories and lived experiences. It’s step 1 (of many) to bringing systemic change in our workplaces; and to advocate for, & recognise, generalist pathways.

As always, screenshot your favourite bits, share them on LinkedIn and tag us @generalistworld. I’ll help amplify you to 10,000s of professionals 🌀 

Thank you for being here.

Now let’s get into it,

Milly 🌀