A Mile Wide and an Inch Deep?

Details

Date published: 11/04/12

Written by Claire

As a result, I’ve enjoyed a wide variety of career opportunities in a mixed bag of companies. I’ve been an intrapreneur in an international megacorporation, and I’ve been sole proprietor of a start-up. The problems of one are the same as the problems of the other—it’s just a matter of scale. My resume runs the gamut from strategic planning to taking out the trash. Because of my extensive “been there, done that” background, I pride myself on being a business generalist.

Now, there’s a certain danger in presenting oneself as a generalist. After all, if you were really smart, wouldn’t you be a specialist? And there’s that old line about being “a mile wide and an inch deep,” suggesting that if you have a lot of breadth, then you can’t possibly have much depth in any one area.

Well, I assert that I am, indeed, a mile wide, but claim with some certainty that I’m at least six inches deep, thanks to my commitment to lifelong learning and to exerting extensive effort to make the most of the many opportunities I’ve encountered in every different role. As a consultant, I generally have a method, a model, or a process to get traction on intractable issues. My approach always starts by questioning everything--and then actually listening to the answers.

Which brings me to the aforementioned annoying questions. Here are a few points to ponder regarding your people-related processes:

• Why do your top performers stay with your company (thank goodness!) rather than seeking other opportunities?
• Why do your worst performers stay with your company (drat the luck!) rather than seeking other opportunities?
• What do you do to ensure that your high potential people don’t fall prey to The Peter Principle?
• When you are a job candidate, how do you determine if a particular career opportunity is the right “fit” for you?
• When you are a hiring manager, how do you determine if a particular candidate is the right “fit” for the position you need to fill?

That’s enough for now! As you explore our website and check in with this blog, you will find fodder for further thought on these and other burning questions.

And we’d love to hear from you—just what annoying questions are bothering your business brain? Please talk to us and help us know how our business can help you get the right people for your business...every time!