Here is how to be super valuable in your career.
It’s simpler than you realise.
Most professionals think the way to stand out is to become the best at a particular skill.
So they keep focusing on getting better and better in one area.
But if you’re competing head-to-head with lots of others who are also great in this one area, you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Here’s a better strategy.
Combine your existing strength with a different, distinct strength.
Then another.
And then another.
Suddenly, you’re not competing on a crowded field.
You’re operating in a space that hardly anyone else does.
One client of mine got headhunted because they had a unique degree in their profession.
Another client got promoted because they had board experience through volunteering.
Skills like coding or leadership are other great examples of strengths that turbocharge existing strengths.
It’s the overlap that creates the opportunity.
So if you’ve been doing one thing for a while and not getting the traction you hoped for, stop pushing in this singular area.
Consider instead:
What’s another distinct skill I could add to the mix?
What experience would give me an edge that others in my field wouldn’t usually have?
Then focus on that.
Because in a crowded field, it’s the combination of competent strengths that will beat excellence in a singular strength.
Don’t take the traditional path.
Become super valuable by combining strengths in non-traditional ways.