Sheryl Sandberg – The Specialist-Generalist

March 25, 2017April 9, 2017 John Worne Diversity, Leadership, Specialist-Generalist, The COO

Why we don’t always need ‘Big Trousers’

By John Worne There are lots of different forms of leadership; what works is often situational and dependent on context. The stereotype - even the default expectation - is dominant, alpha, decisive and driving: 'big trousers' leadership. But today's world is often too complex for too much of that. The leadership that a Specialist-Generalist brings … Continue reading Why we don’t always need ‘Big Trousers’

March 12, 2017April 12, 2017 John Worne Careers, Growth, People, Specialist-Generalist

Developing a Growth Mentality: ‘Lean in’ by Sheryl Sandberg

By John Worne An important insight for Specialist-Generalists from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (among a great many others) is Eric Schmidt of Google's advice that only one criterion matters when picking a job - fast growth. Sandberg writes: 'When companies grow quickly, there are more things to do than people to do them. When companies … Continue reading Developing a Growth Mentality: ‘Lean in’ by Sheryl Sandberg

Here's what Harvard Business Review has to say on 'Imposter Syndrome', every Specialist-Generalist's constant companion:

"We’ve all had that feeling of being unqualified to do something we’ve been tasked to do. But the fact that everyone occasionally suffers from impostor syndrome (even CEOs and Prime Ministers) doesn’t make it any easier to handle.

Try these three things:

1) Recognise there are positives to being new in your field. When you’re not steeped in the conventional wisdom of a given profession or industry, you can ask questions that haven’t been asked before or approach problems in ways others haven’t thought of.

2) Adopt a learning mindset. Focus more on what you’re learning than on how you’re performing.

3) Know that you’re not alone. If you’re feeling like an impostor, chances are that others feel the same way."