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Future Workforce: M-Shaped is the new T-Shaped

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Rachel Mercer
Rachel Mercer

Hypotheses about the new type of ideal worker. Rather than a T-Shaped individual (deep knowledge in one category, wide knowledge across categories), what if the new ideal type of worker (or manager) is M-shaped? Individuals that have a wide breadth of knowledge on various topics, but shallower knowledge where appropriate. Think of each prong as a vertical.

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Let’s talk about work
I In the beginning, everyone could be an I-shaped person. You only had to be good at one thing.
It’s was like this for a very long time, everyone had their own specialisation or vertical, but there was rarely any overlap. And organisations didn’t really scale to a point where they needed to…
Prehistory 1600’s early 1900’s Hunter Gatherer Merchant Farmer Baker Smith Craftsmen Factory Workers So, for a good portion of our history, everyone was an i-shaped worker…
then things started to change… The Internet GlobalisationComplexity/Systems 1980’s 1980’s1940’s
T Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise So the answer to this rapidly changing shift was the t-shaped person, one with broad understanding of contexts, but a deep understanding of a single field.
This was highly popularised first by the CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown, and subsequently lauded by companies like IBM and McKinsey. But these are all large companies, does it work for smaller ones?
I have a notion on what the future worker could be. If we take the same spectrum, but consider it for an organisation that requires true multidisciplinary people. Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise
What if the new sort of worker was the m- shaped person? Where they have a wide breadth of knowledge on various topics, but shallower knowledge where appropriate. Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise m
At Made by Many, this works because we see ourselves as an organisation that sits between disciplines. Everyone has to know a little bit of everything. BUSINESS STRATEGY SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PRODUCT & SERVICE DESIGN
I’m not saying this is a solution. Here are some questions I have for myself… Does it scale beyond a studio? Can m-shaped people be the ‘connective tissue’ between specialists? How can you encourage this thinking? Can you inspire confidence to explore those new depths of field? How do you build a work environment that supports them?

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Future Workforce: M-Shaped is the new T-Shaped

  • 2. I In the beginning, everyone could be an I-shaped person. You only had to be good at one thing.
  • 3. It’s was like this for a very long time, everyone had their own specialisation or vertical, but there was rarely any overlap. And organisations didn’t really scale to a point where they needed to…
  • 4. Prehistory 1600’s early 1900’s Hunter Gatherer Merchant Farmer Baker Smith Craftsmen Factory Workers So, for a good portion of our history, everyone was an i-shaped worker…
  • 5. then things started to change… The Internet GlobalisationComplexity/Systems 1980’s 1980’s1940’s
  • 6. T Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise So the answer to this rapidly changing shift was the t-shaped person, one with broad understanding of contexts, but a deep understanding of a single field.
  • 7. This was highly popularised first by the CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown, and subsequently lauded by companies like IBM and McKinsey. But these are all large companies, does it work for smaller ones?
  • 8. I have a notion on what the future worker could be. If we take the same spectrum, but consider it for an organisation that requires true multidisciplinary people. Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise
  • 9. What if the new sort of worker was the m- shaped person? Where they have a wide breadth of knowledge on various topics, but shallower knowledge where appropriate. Breadth of Knowledge Depth of Expertise m
  • 10. At Made by Many, this works because we see ourselves as an organisation that sits between disciplines. Everyone has to know a little bit of everything. BUSINESS STRATEGY SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PRODUCT & SERVICE DESIGN
  • 11. I’m not saying this is a solution. Here are some questions I have for myself… Does it scale beyond a studio? Can m-shaped people be the ‘connective tissue’ between specialists? How can you encourage this thinking? Can you inspire confidence to explore those new depths of field? How do you build a work environment that supports them?