Shapes of an individual

I get asked about leadership, mentoring, professional development and general guidance. One common theme I keep coming back to is the geometric shape that best describes an individual.

I was first introduced to this concept of 'shapes' that could define an individual, many years ago when I first joined IBM. These type of conversations are generally sparked when a young professional is trying to figure out how to develop their career, the path they should be taking, the choices they need to make, the sacrifices that should be prepared to make and the work/life balance they should be prepared to accept.

Broadly speaking, all professionals can be categorized in one of the following shapes:

• T-Shaped: You are a specialist in one specific area and are known as a Subject Matter Expert in that profession. You have some high level understanding of a broader range of subjects associated with your area of expertise, but you are seldom called upon to answer questions on those areas.
• Pi-Shaped: You are a specialist in two areas and are known as a Subject Matter Specialist in both, and perhaps also either as an 'Architect' or an evangelist due to the depth of your skills in those two areas. The two areas are distinct skills, and may even require a completely different set of skills to master. A Pi-Shaped individual has both the deep expertise of a T-shaped individual, yet the ability to view problems from a different angle. Generally, Pi-Shaped individuals are called to manage critical situations or to provide a unique perspective they have due to the broader, yet deep skillset they provide.
• Comb-shaped (or Multi-Pi): At this level, you are considered a specialist, a generalist, and an evangelist. Comb-shaped individuals have seen several trends come and go, they retain deep skills in a few areas, yet pick up more pillars of expertise as their careers progress. These are obviously much sought-after, yet difficult to come by. The Comb-shaped (or Multi-Pi) may be formed from skills in completely different domains - from example, sales and software development, public speaking and bookkeeping, etc. Such individuals do not sacrifice the desire to know the details with the pressures to meet business goals which are invariably placed on them.

The pillars that make up a shape have to be varied. Skills in adjacent areas may not necessarily imply that you adhere to a shape. The disciplines have to be distinct enough for a completely different audience to see you out. Here's a test - if the people who are asking for your help belong to completely different industries (or business units in a large company), then you can be assured you are beyond a T-Shaped individual.

The other aspect is the ability to apply knowledge across the pillars. Just because you have the skills in more than one domain, doesn't mean you have the ability or the experience to apply it. Without practical implementation the self-perception of skill is a fanciful flight.

Obviously, there is no right or wrong. We all satisfy the curiosities that drive us in our professions. Some are caught in currents of change that force upon them a different shape, though individuals with changes forced by external pressures invariably default to what's natural to them.

So.. what type of an individual are you? :-)