The Debate: Renaissance Man versus Niche Expert

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, becoming a Renaissance Man is embracing all knowledge and developing capabilities as much as possible. A niche is a specialized market.

I mention these definitions because I recently overheard a debate on which is best in the professional world: being a Jack of All Trades or being the Go-To Gal for one particular skill set.

On the surface, being great at a lot of things is a no-brainer. However, I wonder if you can be truly great at multiple things when attention is spread so thin among those interests. “Jack of all Trades, Master of None,” anyone? It seems that giving attention to one area of expertise would create a bigger bang, make a stronger impact.

Then there’s the indispensable factor: would an employer be more likely to keep and promote a person with a general knowledge of advertising, business development, office administration, and accounting or a person who could repeat the Sarbanes-Oxley auditing procedure by heart? 

Perhaps the answer varies by industry.  Or maybe it's dependent on the needs of an individual's personality.

I don’t know what’s best. But at this point in my career, I do know that I’m not ready to pick a niche. My list of things I’d like to learn more about runs at about 1,200 items. (That’s a guesstimate, folks. I couldn’t even begin to actually calculate!) I feel my time is best spent embracing all those interests, and perhaps I’ll find a niche by doing so. Therefore, Pro-Renaissance Man I must be…at least at this point in my career.

What about you? Do you think it’s best to be really great at one thing? Or to be good at several things?

Let the debate begin!

But I Just Don't Have Time!

“I wish I could call back Ms. Smith, but I just don’t have time!”

“If the red lights cooperate, I can leave five minutes before the meeting time and be okay!”

“If only there were more hours in the day!”

Ever had these thoughts? I have…just last week.

I didn’t post a blog update last week because “I didn’t have time.” Then I participated in the Oklahoma City Go Red for Women Luncheon last Friday and attended a break-out session on time management. That is where I learned that I didn’t post last week because I didn’t make time. There’s a big difference between the two.

Jennifer Howard of the Next Level Group led the break-out session and discussed her “Ten Effective and Proven Time Management Techniques.” Her points made me realize I can make my day more productive with proper planning and proper avoiding!

Her time management tips are worth sharing:

1. Put important things on the calendar – not just work appointments but personal appointments too.

2. Avoid interrupters. (Facebook, anyone?)

3. Assign blocks of time.

4. Chose self-discipline over distractions. (Is there a bigger distraction than Facebook?!)

5. Manage your space.

6. Focus! (And not on Facebook!)

7. Delegate.

8. Be on time.

9. Have a place and a purpose.

10. Say “no.”

Incorporating these techniques will take time and practice. But hopefully with such practice, we will all be saying:

“Ms. Smith – it’s Whitney Williams, returning your call from this morning!”

“I was stopped at every red light and still made the meeting on time!”

“I love all this free time. Wahoo time management!”

What Your Desk Says About You

You can spend 40 hours a week at your desk, so it can become like a second home. At that second home, co-workers stop by to chat, and supervisors drop off assignments. You work, you snack, you snooze (just kidding). With so much activity centered around that little table, it’s no wonder business associates come to conclusions about you with a three second glance into your cubicle.

So what are these associates thinking?

There are two schools of thought on what your desk says about you. 1) A messy desk equals a messy mind.  2) A tidy desk equals too much time. Personally, I believe both these answers are correct.

A work space filled with mounds of paperwork, chotskies from the past eight conferences you attended, and so many Post-It notes that your boss thinks you painted your desk yellow, sends the signal you are scattered, unorganized, and unable to keep up with assigned tasks. However, a desk that is spotless, with the stapler and tape dispenser angled at an exact 65 degrees, may illustrate a stronger focus on organization rather than the organization itself. Or even worse, that you are too rigid and inflexible to handle the least amount of chaos.

Find the perfect medium that showcases both productivity and punctuality. Create a desk environment that demonstrates your abilities to multi-task in an organized and flexible way. Allow your business associates, supervisors, and co-workers to see you are the total package.

All this attention toward a desk may seem overkill, but never underestimate the power of your professional image and what tools can help or hurt you. Cover all your bases, cubicle and all.