Working with a Multipotentialite

Many of you will probably think of me as an expert in sustainability, or one with 22 years’ experience in e-waste recycling. And that is true,…..

…..partially.

The reality is a little more complex than that.

My career started forty years ago in horticulture. That’s right, I was a gardener for 12 years and I completed three years (1 day per week) at horticultural college. And I still retain much of the knowledge and an interest in gardening.

And while I was employed in the e-waste industry, I also worked my way through university for nearly 10 years, and came away with both Bachelor and Master degrees in history.

Plus on top of all this, I have my interests in behavioral or organizational psychology, environmentalism and LinkedIn. Oh! And Middle Earth.

A bit of a mixed bag you might say.

I’m not telling you all this to try to prove I am clever. That would be asking for a fall. Rather, it is to draw attention to a trait in my character. And maybe yours.

You see, there is a word for people like me.

According to Emilie Wapnick, I’m a multipotentialite. You can watch her excellent Ted Talk, "Why some of us don't have one true calling."

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What is a multipotentialite?

Multipotentialites are people who have many interests and creative pursuits. We can be passionate about multiple things consecutively or serially.

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Are you a multipotentialite?

The truth is we’re probably all multipotentialites to some extent. Just think about it for a moment. Are your hobbies and pastimes the same as your work?

I doubt it.

And yet, I know many hobbyists who consider themselves, or are considered, experts in their field.

It’s the natural way we humans function. To survive, our ancestors had to be adaptable to different situations and seasons, between feast and famine. Our brains have evolved to make connections between disparate pieces of knowledge.

Another way of looking at it is an “I” and a “T.” Most people are taught to start at the top of the “I,” and then during their career to drill down to become a specialist in their field.

Multipotentialites on the other hand will gather knowledge from more than one field, forming the line at the top of the “T” before they start to drill down. And they may well drill down in several spots over their career.

You need multipotentialites in your team if you’re to be a leader in your field.

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What are the benefits of working with a multipotentialite?

The benefits of working with a multipotentialite are:

1.????Diverse skill set: We have a wide range of interdisciplinary skills and knowledge that we can apply to different projects. We can approach a problem with a fresh perspective and come up with innovative solutions.

2.????Adaptability: We can work in different environments and industries because we are highly adaptable. We are valuable assets to any team because we can easily switch between tasks and projects.

3.????Creativity: We are often creative thinkers who can help teams think outside the box. Approach problems with a unique perspective and come up with new ideas.

4.????Passion: We are enthusiastic about our work and are often initiative-taking when faced with a new challenge. We can bring energy and enthusiasm to projects, which can be contagious to others in the team.

5.????Continuous learning: We are constantly learning and growing. The enjoyment of acquiring new skills and knowledge makes us valuable assets to any team.

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The downside of multipotentialism?

Of course, there is a disadvantage. People are used to the notion of someone being only good at one thing or one discipline, not multiple. They find it difficult to understand what it is you’re good at.

They tend to focus on only one or two abilities you possess and ignore the rest. In other words, they fail to see your potential.

I think that situation is changing but there is still a long way to go.

The problem is our current social model with its industrialized education and vocation systems pushes people to specialize in a single field. That may have been fine for the twentieth century but may prove unsatisfactory for the twenty-first.

When I started my career all those years ago, I landed a job as a gardener with the local authority. A job for life, people said. Three years later, I was out of work because the marketplace had changed.

And the marketplace is constantly evolving with the introduction of new technology and AI. Technology that can literally make your job obsolete or uneconomical overnight.

Over the years, jobs for life have become rare. People starting out today will likely have a variety of jobs throughout their careers. Maybe even multiple ones.

We all need to become multipotentialites.

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Do you want to work with a multipotentialite?

Recently, I started out on the next, and given my age, probably the final stage of my career. As a content writer and historian specializing in sustainability.

But given that I define myself as a multipotentialite, what does that mean?

It means I understand the issue of sustainability and how the e-waste industry works. But my history degrees allow me an historical perspective of modern society on topics such as consumerism and colonialism, and why these are relevant to the issue of sustainability.

My interest in behavioral psychology combined with my cultural experience of the production process in the recycling industry, provides me with an understanding of the interest and skepticism of those working in it. It allows me to engage with your employees and clients.

My experience of LinkedIn means I know what works and what doesn’t on the platform. How to get you noticed.

My interest in environmentalism has given me a comprehension of how everyday business and consumer decisions impact nature. Why this is important for their biodiversity footprint and how awareness of it can help to reduce or even reverse biodiversity loss.

And Middle Earth? Who knows?

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So, if you’re interested in working with me, send me a DM today or leave a comment below.

Additional sources

Living Life as a Multipotentialite - The Career Changers

Multipotentialites: the future of work?- TestGorilla

Are you a Multipotentialite? | Sergio Caredda