Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of well-meaning advice to young professionals: “Find your niche. Master it. Become the go-to expert.”
And to be fair, that’s solid advice. Expertise will always matter, the world will always need specialists. But that’s not the full picture anymore.
In today’s world, no matter your industry or role, being deeply skilled in one area isn’t enough. If you want to build real value, grow your career, or move into leadership, you have to be someone who knows a little bit about everything.
I started in shipping and logistics back in the 90s. Today, I’ve got active footprints in salt mining and aviation. That didn’t happen by accident, and it wasn’t just about chasing opportunities.
Very early on, I learned a lesson that’s shaped everything since: You don’t have to box yourself into one area of expertise. Yes, specialise. Build depth. But don’t stop there. You need to understand how other fields work: how different industries operate, how value is created, and how people think outside your lane. That kind of curiosity is what opens doors. That kind of range is what builds resilience. And that kind of perspective is what makes you valuable at higher levels of decision-making.
The truth is that the more you stretch yourself across different disciplines, the more equipped you become to lead, adapt, and build things that last.
The most valuable professionals and the ones who get promoted don’t just do their job well. They understand how their work fits into the broader system: the business model, the customer journey, and the company’s goals.
– If you’re a marketer, go beyond campaigns. Understand the sales funnel, customer success, product-market fit, and profit/loss impact.
– If you’re a developer, don’t just ship clean code. Learn how the product solves real problems, how design influences product adoption, and how the business generates revenue.
– If you’re in finance, don’t just master spreadsheets. Understand operations, procurement, supply chains, product lifecycles, and strategy.
People who get promoted aren’t just “good at their job.” They understand how their work fits into the bigger picture. They can sit in rooms beyond their department and still contribute meaningfully. That’s how you become valuable at a higher level.