The Generalist Advantage (Julie Lavergne)

Why Listen: Tips on how to broaden your knowledge.

Learning is truly an Art & a Science.  Dr. Kinga Petrovai, Learning Consultant and Podcaster, explores the significance of adopting a Generalist Mindset when it comes to learning.  She offers practical tips on broadening your knowledge across various fields, crucial for boosting problem-solving skills and adaptability.  Additionally, Dr. Petrovai discusses the current advancements in Learning Sciences, who aims to better assist us in our forever increasing learning demands.

Why Listen: If you are a parent whose child seems to prematurely quit activities. 

Maya Meyouhas discusses the importance of recognizing and nurturing generalist tendencies in children, advocating for environments where children can explore various skills without the pressure of specialization. She shares her personal journey of accepting her generalist identity and emphasizes the value of helping future generations embrace diverse learning experiences to thrive in an ever-changing world. 

Key Highlights:  

• Professional Generalist: Maya discusses how she thrived in her career by taking on diverse projects and learning new skills, supported by understanding leaders and mentors.  

• Personal Realization: Maya reflects on the challenges of not having a specific hobby or skill in her personal life and how therapy helped her recognize the value of being a generalist.  

• Supporting Future Generalists: Maya emphasizes the importance of recognizing and nurturing the diverse learning styles and interests of children, sharing her approach to parenting her daughter, a future generalist. 

• Advocating for Generalists: Maya highlights the need for generalists to accept their strengths, position themselves effectively, and create work environments that support their unique abilities.  

• AI and Generalists: Maya discusses how AI can complement generalists by handling specialized tasks, allowing generalists to integrate and leverage various tools effectively. 

About Maya Meyouhas

Maya is a strategic marketing leader who believes great results don't require big budgets - just smart strategy and solid execution. After 18 years of developing winning campaigns for Canada's biggest media and retail brands, she launched MIM Marketing in 2023 to help startups and non-profits punch above their weight class. As a self-proclaimed "marketing generalist," Maya brings a unique blend of creative problem-solving and data analysis to every project. Passionate about championing and empowering other generalists, she started the Generalist Network Substack, where she helps multi-talented professionals embrace their versatility as a superpower.
 

Find Maya Here 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayameyouhas/ 

• Website: mimmarketing.ca 

• generalistnetwork.com 

• And get your generalist notebook here:https://amzn.to/3WkXBDd 

Find Us 

• Connect with Julie on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lavergne/  

• Follow the podcast’s LinkedIn page for next Episode releasehttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-generalist-advantage/?viewAsMember=true  

• Visit our Websitehttps://8ballclarity.com/  

Don’t forget to leave a 5* review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts – The more reviews, the bigger the impact 

Julie and Karissa explore the often overlooked, yet crucial role of generalists in today's professional landscape.

In this podcast episode, Julie and her guest Kathleen dive deep into the world of generalism, exploring Kathleen's extensive career spanning architecture, parks management, law enforcement, and more. They discuss the value of generalists in driving innovation and problem-solving, particularly in industries like construction and facility management. Through personal anecdotes and insightful discussions, they highlight the role of generalists in navigating change, promoting collaboration, and shaping the future of work.

Why Listen:  If you are a generalist hunting for a job.

Why listen: If you have teens looking to make career choices - you will want to listen to Devon’s advice.  Heck, get career advice for yourself!

Why Listen: Discover a personality test that identifies what energizes you. 

Episode Summary: Just because something is your strength it doesn’t mean it brings you joy.  Brandon Lee, Founder of Genius of You, has developed a personality test that helps you discover what is a fully body yes, in your career and life.   

Why Listen: How to face it till you make it.

Karl is the king of analogies and funny anecdotes, and he has plenty to describe how he has navigated his career as a generalist. As an Independent Security Consultant and Virtual CISO, Karl describes how, in the end, the generalist is the maze master, but they need to be willing to pay the price and "look" the part of the specialist, i.e., be the wolf in sheep's clothing. I hope you have as much fun as I did following "tiger's bounce".

Why listen:  Insights on when to pivot your career.

Britney Stewart, founder and CEO of Implemint Capital, shares her journey from doctor to diplomat to entrepreneur. She discusses starting her business with minimal industry knowledge to solve a problem she was passionate about.

Why Listen:  Get tips on integrating AI live into large group complex facilitated sessions.

Join Jennifer Davis as she describes her “Year of AI” integrating AI into her work as a management consultant, leveraging AI for facilitation, exploring the ethical use and the intersection of sustainability and AI. Discover how she navigated the complexities of AI tools to enhance collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic thinking in her projects, and hear her insights on the challenges and opportunities of AI in various contexts. 

Key Highlights:  

•  Year of AI: Julie and Jennifer discussed Jennifer's decision to make 2024 her "Year of AI" to overcome her avoidance of the topic and learn how to ethically use AI in her work as a management consultant.  

• Learning Structure: Jennifer explained how she structured her learning about AI, including taking courses, attending conferences, and writing articles. She emphasized the importance of creating outputs and having accountability partners to stay focused.  

• Practical Applications of AI: Jennifer shared practical applications of AI in her work, such as using AI-based knowledge tools for prereads and brainstorming sessions. She highlighted the benefits of integrating AI into facilitation processes to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing.  

• Generalists and AI: Jennifer and Julie discussed how generalists are well-positioned to use AI due to their ability to think strategically and ask the right questions. They emphasized the importance of human judgment and critical thinking in effectively leveraging AI.  

• Ethical Considerations: Jennifer expressed concerns about the ethical implications of AI, including the environmental cost, the risk of deep fakes, and the potential for over-reliance on AI. She stressed the need for vigilance and human oversight in using AI responsibly.  

• Future Plans:Jennifer shared her plans for 2025, which include learning to play the ukulele and continuing to use AI in her work. She emphasized the importance of integrating AI into organizational strategies and promoting its use among friends and family. 

• Advice for Generalists: Jennifer advised generalists to develop a network, find mentors, and engage with AI regularly. She highlighted the potential of AI to amplify human potential and the importance of global collaboration in establishing guidelines for its use. 

About Them 

Jennifer is a highly experienced management consultant with a passion for deepening collaboration and innovation to drive the equitable transition to a low carbon economy. With over 20 years’ experience, Jennifer advises and supports public sector clients on innovation policy and program design and implementation. She helps structure and implement private sector innovation consortia and sustainability programs and facilitates complex dialogues with Indigenous rightsholders and stakeholders. Jennifer's focus areas include collaborative problem-solving for systems change, with a particular emphasis on climate change, biodiversity and equity. She specializes in strategy, facilitation, research, and clean tech/R&D, with a special focus on climate change projects in the Arctic. Her work reflects her commitment to moving Canada towards its net zero targets in a way that diversifies and strengthens the country's economy and global competitive advantage in clean technology. Jennifer also sits on the Board of Directors for CAIN, Canada’s Accelerator and Incubator Network." 

  Find Them Here 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdavisssc/ 

• Website: N/A 

• Other links?:  

  Find Us 

• Connect with Julie on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lavergne/  

• Follow the podcast’s LinkedIn page for next Episode releasehttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-generalist-advantage/?viewAsMember=true  

• Visit our Websitehttps://8ballclarity.com/  

Don’t forget to leave a 5* review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts – The more reviews, the bigger the impact 

Why Listen:  Tips on what it takes to make a major career pivot.

Moving from marketing in the tech industry to HR in the healthcare sector is unheard of, yet it’s exactly what Juliana did.  We learn about the motivations for the change and the challenges she faced during the transition. 

Sneak peek: Being known as a complex problem solver does follow you across domains. 

Julie interviews Beverley Carkner, a marketing professional with over 20 years of experience across various industries, including publishing, tourism, government, self-employement and now medical.

Why Listen:  If you’ve felt like a misfit inside the corporate world.

How do generalists find their place in the corporate world, or do they? Erin Patchell, Owner of Positivist Group and Co-Founder of Clüdee,  and I share our journeys of corporate life to entrepreneurship. We dive into the unique value generalists bring and how both they and their leaders can navigate the corporate landscape successfully. Erin offers insightful tips for generalists to flourish and for organizations to harness their diverse skills effectively.

Why Listen: Grabbing a hold of your own career narrative. 

Chase Pettet, a product security professional, didn’t identify as a generalist until a recruiter labeled him as such, and not in a flattering way. This prompted a period of deep reflection on how he has navigated his career and the choices he's made intuitively. Concerned about the implications of the term "generalist," he decided to redefine his non-traditional career narrative to the positive light. 

Why Listen: Grabbing a hold of your own career narrative.

David Kang, a Brand Strategist, shares his journey from a specialist to a generalist, using the metaphor of an octopus to illustrate the benefits of having diverse interests and skills. He discusses his new venture, the criteria for his "tentacles," and the importance of balancing work with personal passions. David also explores the potential advantages of generalists in an AI-driven world and offers practical advice for those looking to embrace a more holistic and fulfilling career path.   

Why Listen: To grow your “traditional” quality role into something more. 

Why Listen: Practical job seeking tips from a career coach.

Discover how career coach Steph Gillies turned 32 jobs in 15 years into a superpower. Learn practical job-seeking tips, market trends, and personal branding strategies for multi-passionate professionals. 

Key Highlights: 

• Career Pivoting: Stephanie's journey from numerous jobs to career coaching for generalists. 

• Job Market Trends: Insights into the shift towards networking and personal branding. 

• Personal Branding: The significance of authenticity and tailoring resumes while staying true to oneself. 

• Career Advice: Breaking conventional job search rules and aligning career decisions with personal values. 

Guest Information: 
 
Steph Gillies is a Career Story Coach, focused on helping multi-passionate professionals embrace their authenticity and design their career story. Having had 32 jobs in 15 years, Steph mastered the job search process and gained valuable insights into how to align passions with career paths. 

After being laid off from what she thought was her dream job in 2020, she started resume writing and career coaching. Since then, she has helped over 1000 people discover their purpose and create a career story that truly reflects who they are. 

Find Steph Here 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephgillies/ 

• Website: https://www.destinationdreamjob.com/ 

• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/destination-dream-job/id1690369609 

Why Listen: Understanding the role of the Chief of Staff. 

Do you address the elephant in the room head-on? Do you sometimes let things burn to prioritize what's truly important? Layla, the Chief of Staff at a high-growth startup, shares what it takes to excel in this dynamic role. In this ideal generalist role, the COS balances analytical and humanistic approaches, translating strategic decisions into actionable insights for the entire organization. Layla, an OG in the Chief of Staff and Generalist circles, offers real-life examples of influencing leadership and strategies to avoid burnout. 

Key Highlights:  

• Types of Chief of Staff: How Chief of Staffs can be either more analytic or more humanistic, and how they connect the dots across the organization.  

• Data and people skills: Examples of how data analysts and Chief of Staffs can use their generalist skills to provide insights and communication across different departments and levels.  

• Cascading strategic information: Layla explained how she translates and frames the strategic decisions made by the executive team to the rest of the organization, and how she raises the feedback and voice of the operators.  

• Managing executive expectations: How to deal with the urgency and capacity issues of working with the C-suite, and how to use discernment, prioritization, and communication skills to manage the workload and expectations.  

• Generalist identity and career path: Layla and Julie reflected on how they came to accept and embrace their generalist identity, and how they see the value and potential of generalists in different roles and industries. 

About Layla Lyne-Walker

Layla is an experienced operator and expert generalist who helps people find clarity in complexity. With a diverse career across research, operations, strategy, and coaching, she brings a mix of sharp insight, emotional intelligence, and practical wisdom to her work and collaborations. Her gift for seeing the bigger picture, finding gaps, and connecting the dots, helps guide people and teams toward meaningful action. 

As Chief of Staff at a high-growth startup, Layla has played a pivotal role in building and scaling operations, driving strategic initiatives, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. A skilled and practical problem-solver, she specializes in bridging vision and execution, empowering people to make informed choices that drive progress. 

Layla’s expertise is grounded in both analytical and intuitive thinking, blending structured strategy with human-centered leadership. She holds degrees in Anthropology and Art from UC Santa Barbara, Visual Culture from California College of the Arts, and has pursued additional studies in coaching, organizational leadership, and business fundamentals. When not helping others, she can be found curled up with a book or joyfully experiencing movies, music, and art. 

Find Layla Here 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laylalynewinkler/

Find Us 

• Connect with Julie on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lavergne/  

• Follow the podcast’s LinkedIn page for next Episode releasehttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-generalist-advantage/?viewAsMember=true  

• Visit our Websitehttps://8ballclarity.com/  

Don’t forget to leave a 5* review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts – The more reviews, the bigger the impact.

Why Listen: Learn about the latest AI-generated scams. 

We discuss with Jason Oliver, a senior compliance analyst and data scientist, the importance of fraud detection in the modern age. We aim to identify if and what unique edge that generalists have in identifying and preventing scams, discussing various real-world examples and strategies. Jason emphasizes the significance of critical thinking, the necessity of verification, and the value of sharing anti-fraud knowledge across diverse demographics.   

Jason’s book, Diamond Min(e)d How Unearthing the Signal in the Noise Takes You From Treasure to Triumph highlights the key elements of critical thinking and decision-making to realize a better you, and better life outcomes 

Key Highlights:  

•  Scams and Trickery: Insights on AI-generated voices, door-to-door scams, and phone scams. Tips on verification and having code words with loved ones. 

• Generalists vs Specialists: Debate on whether generalists or specialists are better at detecting fraud.  

• Fraud Detection Tips: Subscribe to fraud-related publications, know common scams, and share knowledge with others to prevent scams. 

• Writing "Diamond Mind": Jason's motivation and process for writing his book on decision-making, team-building, and avoiding scams. 

• Parting Advice: Share anti-fraud knowledge with vulnerable groups and volunteer to educate others about scams.

About Them 

Jason Oliver is a senior compliance analyst and data scientist for a large organization. He is extremely well-read as reading is his passion: he has read over 100 books in the past decade. He loves to travel to exciting new places and have new experiences, keeping an open mind. He holds an MBA from the Univ. of Ottawa, plus several professional certifications. He currently lives in Ottawa with his wife and two wonderful daughters. He is more of a cat person than a dog person.  
 

Find Jason Here 

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-oliver-mba-caap-sas-cbap-cap-cissp-cfe-28296515/ 

• Website: https://jaoliverauthor.com/   

• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557412487715

Bookseller platform pages:  
 ⁠https://www.amazon.ca/Diamond-Min-Unearthing-Treasure-Triumph/dp/1779418485

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/diamond-mined-how-unearthing-the-signal-in-the-noise-takes-you-from-treasure-to-triumph/9781779418487.html

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diamond-min-j-a-oliver/1145229775

Find Us 

• Connect with Julie on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lavergne/  

• Follow the podcast’s LinkedIn page for next Episode releasehttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-generalist-advantage/?viewAsMember=true  

• Visit our Websitehttps://8ballclarity.com/  

Don’t forget to leave a 5* review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts – The more reviews, the bigger the impact.

Host Julie Lavergne and guest Christine Pothier discuss their journey of embracing the "generalist" identity in their careers. Christine shares how a podcast in early 2022 validated this path for her after struggling to find a specialty. They connected on LinkedIn during the pandemic, bonding over similar career experiences. Their conversation inspired Julie's new podcast and community for generalists. Christine reflects on past projects, highlighting the strengths and challenges of her problem-solving skills and ability to rally diverse talents. Together, they delve into the communication challenges and recruitment barriers faced by generalists.

Why Listen:  To amplify the voice of THIS Modern Renaissance Women.

Melanie Smith recognizes the immense value in sharing the stories of women navigating multiple identities and professions. Through her podcast, "Modern Renaissance Women or MRW” she amplifies these voices, offering listeners a profound insight into their journeys. I was eager to learn about the insights she has gained and the trends she has observed so far.

Why Listen: Finding your way when advised to Specialize AND Generalize.

We get conflicting advice all the time, we actually seek it out. Kristy Hissa, Operations Executive and General Manager of Kairos shares how she navigated seemingly conflicting advice from her mentors -  “Fewer Deeper, don’t try to do it all” and “Unleash your Operational skills”. Kristy realized that she is both, a specialized generalist, and used that perspective to find levers for operations success...repeatedly.

Why Listen: Help finding the best problem solver and best practices for your context. 

Why Listen:  Elevating your game as a project manager. 

Do you question if you are helping or hindering the process at times?  That’s exactly how Brian felt as he was looking to standardize project management systems in the Canadian federal government. This being no small feat.  And when Brian asked this very question, his colleague responded, “You are helping us untangle Christmas lights.”  What a great complement for a generalist!

Welcome to The Generalist Advantage podcast, hosted by Julie Lavergne.

Join me as we explore the world of Generalists—Often overlooked, but with immense potential. From disrupting norms to solving complex problems, we'll uncover the value of embracing diverse perspectives. Whether you're a seasoned generalist or simply curious, this podcast celebrates the untapped potential of thinking outside the box.

Why listen: If you want to learn more about Gen Z, their views and how they navigate their career.