970x125
Rachel (not her real name) is the go-to person at work for everything, from helping you perfect your presentation, to unjamming the copier. She can get meetings with high-level people organized in record time, fix spreadsheets so that they make sense, mentor rising stars, and deliver presentations in a way that gets people motivated to take action. Everyone relies on Rachel because she’s so competent at so many different tasks. It’s almost as if she’s a specialist in everything.
But despite her reliability, she feels overlooked for promotions or recognition. Sound familiar?
Why does being so good at so many things sometimes hold us back?
The Curse of Competence
Being highly capable across multiple domains often means you’re continually asked to do more. Everyone knows they can count on you to get things done right, the first time–on time and on budget (likely early and below budget).
But here lies the paradox: Your breadth of skills can overshadow the depth of your expertise. There is a competence bias: People equate “good at everything” with “indispensable where they are,” not “promotable to the next level.” They can’t lose you (meaning they can’t promote you) because if so, who would take over your tasks?
Organizations and leaders often pigeonhole “competent generalists” into support roles rather than leadership or visionary tracks. This leaves the overlooked high achiever in an emotional roller coaster where they have percolating feelings of stagnation, invisibility, or frustration despite high output. They’re doing all the work, but they made themselves too indispensable.
Breaking Free From the Curse
Just as you are talented enough to solve every crisis and handle every task, large and small, you can also take control of the narrative and change how you are perceived.
Do a Passion Audit. Just because you are good at many things, doesn’t mean you enjoy doing all of them. In fact, constantly putting out fires you never started will lead to burnout, disengagement, and ultimately resentment. Identify the 20% of work you love most and double down on it.
Build a Mentoring Team. Seek a variety of mentors who help you resist overcommitment and push you toward specialization. Consider those who are senior to you, peers (or friendtors). and those junior to you.
Set Boundaries. Politely decline tasks outside your growth zone. When asked to take on another responsibility, or serve on an additional committee, ask yourself if doing so will take you closer or further away from your goals.
Signal Expertise. Publicly share work, research, or case studies in your chosen niche. It’s not bragging if your goal is to help others. Show that you are the go-to person on a topic so that people know who to turn to for expertise and leadership.
Imagine if Rachel was great at many things but truly exceptional at one or two. Leadership would know how to categorize her and recognize which role would be perfect for her; it would no longer be ambiguous. Being capable at everything is admirable, but being remarkable at one is transformative.
