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Quick Career Advice Reply 9. Are You In The Wrong Role at Work? Dear Ann: I am working for a large organization in a management position, having spent years as a business consultant. I changed jobs because I was tired of the travel that my former work involved, but find now that I’m frustrated with the office politics and bureaucracy. I hate to make another change without understanding better what would be the best fit for me. You raise an important issue. It is of critical importance in making career decisions to consider how well you are suited for the role. One of the most significant determinants is whether you tend to be more of a “specialist” or a “generalist.” We all have a natural tendency toward one or the other pole, although about 75% of the population tilts toward the generalist range. People can guess which role they tend toward. However, there is an objective measurement of this tendency-- word association tests--the results of which are often surprising to people. For example, if I said “table” and you responded “chair,” that would be the most frequently given answer in the general population, a “generalist” answer. If you said “cloth,” that would be a “specialist” response, because most people would not say that. Research on people’s responses on these tests has proven that those who have more generalist answers are better able to understand other people’s reactions in most situations because they tend to be like their own. Being on the same wave length confers a natural advantage anytime it is important to work together with other people to achieve a common goal. Generalists, in fact, prefer to work in organizations and teams and can become dispirited when having to work entirely under their own direction. A generalist who assumes a management role is likely to enjoy building consensus and heading a team effort, engaging in a wide variety of activities and adapting easily to changing circumstances.* As you can guess, those people whose responses on word association tests are unique--“specialists”-- tend to see things differently from others. They function best when they are being sought out for their own point of view. Specialists who find an area that appeals to them often work with great passion and intensity, developing expertise and mastery of their area. In organizations, they perform best as experts or consultants to others in the group, rather than managers. Specialists like a lot of autonomy and ability to direct their own work, and often chafe in situations where they have to delegate responsibility to others or deal with group dynamics. My guess is that you tend to be a specialist and probably were well suited to your former role as a consultant, although the travel was becoming burdensome. Although you would need to consider many more factors than just this one aspect, I suggest you try to move into more of a niche area in your organization where you are sought out for your expertise or, if you leave, look for a position as an internal consultant rather than manager. |
