A New Thought on T-shaped Talent

Highlights: Today, I would tend to advise young people to become specialists in a particular field, to hone their skills in the vertical "line" of T-shaped talents, and become experts in a specialized area

Ten years ago, a post-90s girl I mentored asked me about her career development: "Should I pursue a more specialized route or a broader management path?" I still remember that I didn’t answer her question well at the time. I have taken a management path myself, starting with branding and marketing, then moving into operations, content, and product, and now coming back to marketing, while leading various teams of different sizes.

After working in both the Chinese and American job markets for several years, experiencing the economic highs and lows of both countries, and witnessing the rapid development followed by stagnation, I have seen how technology continuously iterates, changing the employment practices and talent standards of companies. Today, I would tend to advise young people to become specialists in a particular field, to hone their skills in the vertical "line" of T-shaped talents, and become experts in a specialized area—individuals who are irreplaceable and can thrive regardless of age or economic cycles.

Interestingly, while reflecting on whether T-shaped talent represents the "horizontal" or the "vertical," I came across an interview with Alibaba's Joe Tsai. Allow me to ride on the fame of a celebrity's insights, as I find his views quite aligned with mine. Joe Tsai suggests that "young people focus on developing a specialty, such as programming, data science, or psychology, aiming to become part of the top 10% in their field. Becoming an expert is the most effective way to gain respect."

The concept of "T-shaped talent" was introduced over 30 years ago by Harvard Business School professor Dorothy Barton in her book The Knowledge Creating Company. McKinsey & Company has elaborated on this capability model. T-shaped talent refers to a type of individual distinguished by their knowledge structure. The horizontal "T" represents the broad skills needed across any industry, including industry knowledge and fundamental capabilities. The vertical "line" represents a deep specialization in a specific area, creating a T-shape.

Originally, the "T-shaped talent theory" required individuals to develop both the horizontal and vertical skills, encompassing various fields while also being an expert in one. I believe this is an unrealistic expectation of perfection.

Using my practical marketing experience, I’ll explain why I believe the vertical aspect of T-shaped talent is more important.

1. Marketing seems like a field everyone understands, but it has many sub-sectors. For example, SEO involves optimizing websites and external links to help people find your site more easily, leading to organic growth. I've encountered many so-called "experts" who don't truly know how to do it. Recently, our global team brought in a specialist who, within a month, clarified our SEO approach. I was eager to have him incorporate China’s SEO strategy into his scope—this is a valuable, irreplaceable asset. Similarly, brand positioning is a topic where everyone has an opinion, yet few can clearly distinguish between brand positioning, product positioning, and market positioning. The only clear authority I've found is Yeo Mingwei from Ogilvy Taiwan; his two brand books are worth a read. Sponsorship marketing is the same; discussing a collaboration is easy, but expertly launching integrated marketing around a sponsorship to create impactful events is what truly matters.
2. The vertical aspect also requires practical experience. It’s not enough to just direct agencies; you should be able to write and create yourself. For example, in content creation, you should be able to write when necessary; in creative work, you should be able to use tools like Canva to create graphics quickly; in field marketing, you should be capable of executing campaigns effectively within a short timeframe. These skills are irreplaceable. As competition in the Chinese market increases, it becomes more segmented, meaning that being a generalist can sometimes be a disadvantage. You need a standout label—what I like to call “your cup of tea.”

Some might ask, "Shouldn’t I also focus on the horizontal? I want to become a general manager in 20 years!" First, the position of general manager will likely be either filled by entrepreneurs or achieved through gradual progression within a company, fighting alongside experienced colleagues. More importantly, as you deepen your vertical expertise, you also develop your horizontal skills and management capabilities. For instance, if you’re working on SEO and need to present to your boss and colleagues, you’ll need to understand the overall business, possess strong communication skills, and have the ability to analyze data to prove results. Each vertical achievement creates irreplaceable value, while simultaneously honing your horizontal soft skills and management actions.

To the post-90s girl I mentored a decade ago, I hope you see this overdue response. Are you satisfied with my answer ten years later?

(I originally wrote this article in Chinese and used AI to translate it into English, so the wording may not feel entirely original. If you have WeChat, please follow my blog here.)