The horizontal line makes You a Systems Engineer.

You are likely doing the work of a Leader, but I bet you are still getting paid like a Specialist ⇓

I was back at my favourite coffee shop this morning.

There is a barista there who makes a heavenly Marshmallow Latte. It is her signature drink. She spent years perfecting the foam density, the temperature, and the exact ratio of syrup.

It is a masterpiece ..

Because she was so good at it management promoted her. She is now the Shift Lead responsible for the whole team.

And she is struggling. Badly.

I watched her hovering over the new guy on the espresso machine.

"No, no" she corrected him.

"You have to steam the milk exactly like this"

She was turning every order into a Marshmallow Latte.

But the customer at the counter ordered a flat white. The guy at the table just wanted a black Americano. The team was getting frustrated because she couldn't help them with their specific tasks.

She only knew her own speciality perfectly.

She is a brilliant specialist but a terrible leader.

This is the exact problem we face in Engineering.

We are taught to be like that barista. We dig deeper and deeper into one single discipline: electronics, software, or mechanics or whatever ...

.. until we become the ultimate authority in that narrow field.

That creates an "I-shaped" professional. Deep but narrow.

That is perfect if you want to be a Subject Matter Expert (or make the world's best latte) but it is a trap if you want to lead complex projects.

To build and lead successful systems you need to change your shape. You need to become a "T-shaped" professional.

The vertical line of the T represents your depth. This is your core engineering foundation. You still need that deep understanding of physics and technology to know how things are actually put together.

But the horizontal line across the top is what makes you a Systems Engineer.

This represents your breadth. It is your ability to look to the side and understand the languages of all the other disciplines involved in the project.

It's the curiosity to understand not just your part but the context around it. It is the ability to see the dependencies and understand how a change in one area will impact the rest of the system.

Without that horizontal reach a project is just a collection of isolated experts working in silos.

Like a coffee shop trying to serve everyone the same latte ...

The Systems Engineer uses that breadth to act as the cohesive force. You become the glue that allows the software team to work coherently with the hardware team.

While others focus on optimising their specific piece of the puzzle you are the one responsible for optimising the whole.

So don't just dig down. Make sure you reach out wide.

***

Here is the hard truth: You might already be acting like a T-shaped leader. You might be ready ..

But if your CV still lists you as a 'Marshmallow Latte Specialist' (listing only technical tools and tasks) you will never get the call for the bigger role.

You need to position your breadth not just your depth.

I'm re-launching my popular Strategic CV Review including all the great feedback from last year. To help you clear the blind spots you may not even know you need to cover.

For literally the price of that latte I will get on a video-call to understand your goals and record a personalised video telling you exactly where your CV is trapping you in the 'Specialist' box and how to break out. And open a direct line to me for support.

​ >>> Get it here and book a call slot.​

Until next time,
Alex

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