answering “what do you do?” when you’re a generalist

February 16, 2007 by  

I’m a generalist. I remember when admitting that seemed risky during the decades when specialization ruled.  Not anymore.  We’re in demand.  But if you’re like me, your stuff (business, content, stories, ideas) tends to grow and grow.  That can make it harder to answer THE QUESTION: "so what, exactly, do you do?".  But eventually you come face-to-face with someone, like I recently did, who just won’t let go until you answer to her satisfaction.  They don’t care about your manifesto, tag line, elevator pitch, target niche or differentiation statement, and they can kinda piss you off.  These people are a gift to the generalist and are crucial to the independent professional services firm (PSF).  They stop you and force to go back to the basics.

These people are never satisfied.  If you give them the "short" version they say: but what does that mean?  If you give them the "long" version they say: I don’t understand what you are talking about. Indulge them. I found it easier to map it out then to try to wordsmith it from scratch. Yes, an uber-generalist I am.

This is the resulting short version:
I do consulting, coaching and facilitating to help individuals, small business and teams, with change.

This is the long one:
I do consulting, coaching and facilitating to help individuals, small business and teams, with change. This change can show up in people, projects or problems. I start with self-awareness, and apply knowledge, strategy and communications. I deliver this though fixed-price programs, with the goal to give clients lasting results, which I describe as D.R.I.V.E.

Here’s the map:

There’s a good chance, a really good chance, that you still won’t satisfy the person asking because she has her own mental framework for how THE QUESTION should be answered.  I’ll get things like: so you’re a career counselor, right? At that point, assuming the person is a potential ally (I suggest determining that before you go any further), you need to start bridging the frame of reference gap.  I’ll save that for another blog. But when it comes to the people who insist upon THE QUESTION, don’t get mad, get clear.

Post to Twitter

Filed under: career, Consciousness, going solo
Tagged:
Comments: None