Read this interesting piece on types of strenghts that increase ones value. I think one way of working with this is building on what comes naturally to you and looking beyond just the business value aspect. A set of critical question to ask when working with these models from my perspective are

1. Can these be generalized and applied in all contexts of life
2. How do i somatically hold it? i.e. how do I bring it down to my bones?
3. How can these be put to the service of humanity? (Think contribution, not positioning)
4. What other complimentary skill sets and poeple do I need to align with to bring out the best results.

Increase Your Value

may miss some roles (feel free to share your thoughts in the comments) but I believe these six roles can give you competitive advantage in your career. Here they are:

1. Maven

Mavens are the people who know practically everything about their fields. They are the masters of knowledge. A maven is the go-to person when people have questions regarding the field. To be a maven, you should have deep curiosity and deep desire to learn. You should also have the discipline to keep learning even when you don’t feel like to.

2. Connector

Connectors are the people who know a lot of people. They are the masters of networking. They are the people who seem to know everybody. As a connector, your connection is the value you can provide to others. When someone has a need, he may get the solution through your network.

3. Salesman

Salesmen are the people who can persuade others. They are the masters of persuasion. They can convince others to buy from them or to do something they want. Of course, a good salesman will deliver real value without being manipulative.

4. Synthesizer

Synthesizers are the people who can connect different fields and come up with fresh ideas. They are the masters of ideas. Synthesizers live in the Intersection (a term from The Medici Effect) where ideas from different fields collide and form new ideas.

5. Explainer

Explainers are the people who can explain complex concepts in simple ways so that they can be understood easily. They are the masters of transferring knowledge. They may not know everything, but they can make whatever they know easily understood by others.

6. System builder

System builders are the people who can create systems around what they are involved in. A system builder can organize something so that it works independently without his intervention. The system can keep providing value while the system builder works on creating new systems.

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Which role do you think is best for you? In practice you may have more than one role but you should choose just one as your core competence. Spreading yourself too thin won’t do you good. To increase your value, choose the role in which you have personal strengths.

maven, connector, salesman, synthesizer, explainer, systems builder, value, career,

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