How to become a T-shaped specialist to combine work and interests

Who is a T-shaped specialist

Employees of the company can be divided into three groups. In a business, project or department, there may be all types of specialists, or only two or even one. But first things first.

• I-shaped specialists are deeply versed in one area, but cannot boast of sufficient knowledge to perform other or related tasks. Their skills are arranged vertically, like the letter I. For example, a copywriter writes cool texts, but cannot compose them on his own or draw at least a simple illustration.
• The Generalist is a generalist. His competencies lie, as it were, horizontally: he superficially understands a variety of areas, but does not delve into any of them. A copywriter-generalist will write a rather modest text, slightly rework it into photo editor illustration downloaded from the stock and typeset the material according to the instructions.
• T-shaped-specialist is well versed in one area and at the same time has superficial knowledge in others. His competencies lie both vertically and horizontally - such a scheme is similar to the letter T. A T-shaped copywriter will write a truly professional text, draw a quite decent illustration himself, and cope with the layout without outside help using various Internet tools.
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In short, the generalist understands a little of everything, the I-shaped specialist is great at one thing, and the T-shaped combines both.

Why T-shaped specialists are needed

Such employees help make the business more resilient to force majeure and other unforeseen situations.

Imagine: the company unites exclusively I-shaped specialists - experts in a narrow niche. If one of them suddenly get sick or will not be able to work for other reasons, there is a risk that colleagues will simply be unable to cope with his tasks due to a lack of knowledge and skills. Or they will do it, but not in the way expected. And if several narrow specialists fail at once, then the whole project runs the risk of taking a pause for an indefinite period.

Another thing is when there are T-shaped employees in the team. They are good at what they do and, thanks to their knowledge and skills in related fields, they can quickly take on other tasks to, for example, replace sick colleagues. And they also help the company set priorities. So, if one employee does not have time or does not cope with the urgent request of the client, this task can be performed by someone who does not have deadlines in their current work.

As a rule, due to their professional horizons, T-shaped specialists better see the overall picture of the workflow and understand how the project or product as a whole is arranged. They know a little about the work of narrow specialists, and this improves communication within the team.

But a T-shaped specialist can not only “put out the fire” in time and relieve tension in the team. Sometimes he can even find a non-standard solution to a common problem.

Why you should become a T-shaped specialist

The professional development process will bring many benefits.

1. You will be able to communicate with experts in various fields in the same language. It will become easier for you to understand other people's ideas and it will be easier to convey your own.
2. You do not have to radically change your life to get rid of a professional burnout. Work for T-shaped specialists rarely turns into a routine, because they can switch from the main tasks to related ones at any time.
3. You will be able to find unusual solutions for common tasks, because new knowledge and skills help to balance at the junction of different areas.
4. By developing competencies in different areas, you will discover new career opportunities. As a result, it will become easier to find a new job, because the list of vacancies will expand: along with the main profession, you can find application for new skills.
5. Thanks to the maximum expertise in your field and a broad outlook in related fields, you will increase your competitiveness and become an attractive specialist for employers.

How to become a T-shaped specialist

If you're a bit of a learner in different areas, choose one for a deeper dive and develop in it, while continuing to be interested in the rest at a basic level. If you are a narrow specialist, think about what other areas can attract your attention, and start getting to know them.

Get Curious

Be interested in how the workflow works as a whole, and not just the part of it that you are involved in. It is not necessary to grab onto everything at once - most likely, it will be too difficult to analyze large amounts of information from the start, and one day interest in the new will begin to fade.

In order not to deviate from the intended path, move gradually: first, highlight the areas that you most often encounter in your main work. Start studying one of them from the basics, see how comfortable it is for you to develop in this area, and gradually upgrade it. Only then take on a new one.

Communicate more often with colleagues

Remember that in the learning process there is no stupid questions. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact the specialists of the field you are interested in for clarifications and clarifications. That way you'll better understand what they're doing. And perhaps among them there is a mentor who will be happy to help you learn new skills and share his experience.

Dive deeper into new realms

You should not rely only on your own strength and the ability to establish communication with colleagues. Develop in your area of ​​interest from different angles: read relevant materials on the Internet, attend trainings and conferences, listen to podcasts and watch interviews with experts in this field. Perhaps the topic will captivate so much that you want to take training courses. Either way, more knowledge won't hurt.

Hone your skills

In the process of learning new, horizontal skills, it is important to take care of the main, vertical, field of activity. Try to stay the best in your business, learn, get even more experience to increase your expertise.