Leadership Viewpoint

As youngsters, most of us try to be like everybody else. Our goal is to position ourselves as one of the gang, to fit in. Years later, in business, it is critically important to stand out, to position ourselves as unique or expert in some regard.

Let’s think about this with respect to a typical professional office. Some of the typical, positive positions include:

Strategist
Presenter
Idea Seller
Computer Geek
Numbers Person
Developer of People
Negotiator
Listener
Troubleshooter
Detail Person

The positions overlap, and most of us fill all of these to some extent. To assess your current positioning, ask yourself, “For which of these areas do my colleagues really on count me?” When someone comes to you for advice, in which area are they most likely to need support? If you are all over the board, either you are brilliant at everything, or you are not successfully positioned as much of anything.

If you are capable of excelling in all these roles, you may want to consider focusing your energies on the one or two areas you enjoy that are most highly valued at your organization. The key is to have management recognize your outstanding abilities. Take care not to be regarded as ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. That may prove a recipe for disposability. Just as the white Wonder Bread of years ago has been largely replaced by a myriad of specialty breads, generalists have also been largely replaced by a myriad of specialists. Be certain to position yourself well so an ‘expert’ doesn’t nudge you out of your workplace.

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