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Capabilities

Know-how The knowledge that exists in people's heads that can't be easily explained or transferred through conversation, requiring disciplined practice of growth experiments.

Codified knowledge - Knowledge that exists in symbolic space as codes, recipes, formulas, algorithms, and manuals

Embodied knowledge - Knowledge embedded in tools where you don't need to know how a tool is made to gain leverage extracting value from using it.

Know How​

Agency is the capability to act with intention and effect toward meaningful goals, within a given environment to transform the world for the better.

To sell will remain to be human, but marketing will be run by machines.

T-Shaped​

Balance curiosity and talent with tools to reach broad audiences with deep domain expertise of building platforms and products that transform the world to deliver real value.

Learn what drives you and others to do the thing that they do. Becoming T-shaped is an ongoing journey rather than a destination. The most successful T-shaped professionals continuously deepen their expertise while thoughtfully expanding their knowledge horizons, creating a dynamic skillset that evolves with changing industry demands.

Mantra

Solve the distribution problem and your opportunities are limitless

Why​

Being T-shaped means developing deep expertise in one or two areas (the vertical bar) while maintaining broader knowledge across multiple disciplines (the horizontal bar). Here's why this is worth pursuing:

Enhanced Career Opportunities

  • You become a more attractive candidate to employers who value versatility alongside expertise
  • You position yourself better for career advancement and new career paths
  • You can contribute value across different business scenarios and projects

Increased Problem-Solving Capability

  • You can pursue multiple goals and solve diverse problems more efficiently
  • You overcome the limitations of specialized knowledge while maintaining expertise
  • You can handle complicated tasks in shorter timeframes, increasing your productivity and value

Better Collaboration and Communication

  • You can empathize with people across different disciplines and understand their needs
  • You bridge communication gaps between specialists in different fields
  • You can work effectively with various specialists involved in projects

Greater Adaptability

  • You avoid being limited to a single niche like pure specialists are
  • You can offer deep expertise that pure generalists lack
  • You remain flexible enough to take on new tasks without compromising quality

How to Develop​

Step 1: Map Your Current Position

  • Conduct a thorough self-assessment of your current skills and knowledge areas
  • Identify your specialties (where you have deep knowledge) and generalist areas
  • Seek feedback from peers, mentors, and colleagues to find blind spots in your assessment

Step 2: Deepen Your Expertise

  • Consolidate your expertise in your primary domain
  • Subscribe to leading publications and journals in your specialty area
  • Regularly experiment and push beyond your comfort zone in your core discipline
  • Develop both hard technical skills and complementary soft skills within your domain

Step 3: Broaden Your Horizons

  • Identify complementary skills that would enhance your primary expertise
  • Pursue knowledge in adjacent fields that intersect with your specialty
  • Don't hesitate to learn about seemingly unrelated topics - they often connect in unexpected ways
  • Develop transferable skills that work across multiple fields (communication, critical thinking, etc.)

Step 4: Overcome Common Resistance

  • Challenge if your identity is too tightly tied to your current specialist role
  • Be willing to be a beginner again in new areas
  • Address imposter syndrome that may emerge when expanding into new territories
  • Adjust unreasonably high expectations of yourself in new domains

Step 5: Apply Your Expanding Skillset

  • Look for projects that allow you to apply both your deep expertise and broader knowledge
  • Volunteer for cross-functional teams where your T-shape adds unique value
  • Practice moving between different competencies as required by projects
  • Develop the ability to manage across boundaries while maintaining focus

Signs You Are Ontrack​

Professional Recognition

  • Colleagues seek your expertise in your specialty areas while also valuing your input on broader matters
  • You're invited to participate in diverse projects beyond your core specialty
  • You become known as a valuable connector between different teams or disciplines

Enhanced Capabilities

  • You can effectively communicate with specialists from different fields using their terminology
  • You notice increased ability to collaborate within teams of diverse backgrounds
  • You can quickly grasp new concepts by connecting them to your existing knowledge network

Career Progress

  • You find yourself qualifying for roles that require both depth and breadth
  • Your contributions become more valuable as you address complex problems from multiple angles
  • You're able to adapt to changing priorities and requirements more easily than pure specialists

Personal Growth

  • You feel comfortable moving between different competencies as situations require
  • You can effectively bridge communication gaps between specialists
  • You find yourself becoming the go-to person for certain tasks that others avoid
  • You can take on new responsibilities without becoming overwhelmed