Suyin Aerts
June 10, 2022

Cake and wine

A networker is not always a creative generalist.

A creative generalist is not always a networker.

Both networkers and creative generalist are an added value in your organisation or your project team. If we want to work towards an inclusive and innovative world we need people able to build bridges, people with a helicopter view.

With a mixed team, consisting of generalist and specialist we are more ready to make a difference in a the rapidly changing world we live in.

Very often we have some prejudices when we think of people that have non linear careers. With today's society as a breeding ground, we still live in a world that worships specialization as the greatest virtue, and thus wants to encourage us to grow in one specific field. But I believe that new times are dawning where having a variety of knowledge and areas of interest is an advantage.

That is one of the reason’s I decided to share my experiences as “a slasher” in a book.

When a leader is a creative generalist and a networker, they are often successful in creating the glue that an organization so desperately needs in these times.

If I see how politics work I see far to often that we go for compromises. I believe more in the third alternative. I do not like to divide a cake, I think there are better ways for a sharing economy.

Did you ever taste a glass of good wine where you added some water? Tastes awful.

Before starting baking the cake: talk to the team, dare to use new ingredients and bake that cake that was never made before. Go for the third alternative, when you are confronted with people that have other opinions than yours.

A creative generalist is very often an ideal mediator, especially if a solution has to be found for a sudden occurrence or an urgent problem. They are able to shed light on the situation from different angles.

Authentic networkers are able for a while to forget their own agenda or goals, they are able to listen to people, hear the questions they do not even ask and think about how they can help, with people in their close or distant environment.

I know great networkers that are specialists.

I know creative generalists that are horrible networkers.

I love having cake and wine with creative generalist that are excellent networkers.

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