Jack of All Trades- Master of a Few
I had a boss who frequently told me that I had “the curse of competence”. Throughout my career, whatever we had going on, inevitably I would quickly learn it inside and out, tie it to complexities that others did not see, and deliver the end result exceeding expectations. Every job I took, I made a role for myself that did not exist and in a way that my peers did not do. I attributed this to being clever and needing ensure I had a job to support my two children. In the I/OP field, we call this opportunistic employment- taking what you can get and holding on for dear life. So when I started my academic studies at the age of 42, I thought I was just bringing the wisdom of experience and that my work values were changing. In the I/OP world, this is called Kaleidoscope Career Theory which suggests that women change the focus and energy of their career as they age. (Personally, I think this applies to our brothers as well as sisters).
I recall one day having a career development conversation with him. We both knew I was performing in ways my peers never considered approaching their role. Most were doing a fine job focusing on their deliverables. Me? I was focused on our 3 and 5 year strategy, brand perception, and creating a 360 degree product that addressed employee and customer needs beyond just what we were talking about this quarter. Upon asking my interests and where I wanted to go next, I began white boarding relationships between healthcare, mental health, food equity, health equity, social determinants of health, communication, and leadership. He stopped me and said, “Sam, that’s too broad, it’s too much”. I argue that it is not enough. I had yet to include community, belief systems, or a plethora of other facets that sum up the whole of being humanity.
Frustrated, I have struggled to find my niche. Simply put, I cannot and will not choose placing my focus as an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist to only one or two aspects of what it means to be human. To do so, would miss the mark and I have too many swords and hills to die on. Plus, I feel that goes completely against the horrible name they gave to my field of education- Industrial and Organizational Psychologists focus on the entire relationship between individuals and companies— or as I like to say “Human Beings Being Human at Work.”
Then a few weeks ago, a dear friend and colleague, invited me to listen to one of his students defend his Proposal. His research and passion on the topic of Polymathy changed my life: it has changed how I talk about my research, my interests, who I am as a person and, most important to you, what I post through this site and other social media channels.
In the coming weeks, I will share more about who I am and my journey. I will explore the field of Polymathy and introduce the many interests that are part of the fabric of my being. I look forward to sharing many of the insights and experiences I have gathered along the way. Fasten your seat belts, folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
