How to Be Seen as a “Connector of Dots” — and Why That’s Your Most Undervalued Superpower

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  “How to Be Seen as a ‘Connector of Dots’ – and Why That’s Your Most Undervalued Superpower”

  
  

• speak to polymathic readers + those straddling multiple roles; seed TPM

If you’ve ever been told you’re “doing too much,” “too all over the place,” or “hard to define,” this post is for you.

Because chances are, what they really meant is: You see things others can’t.  And that, my friend, is a superpower.

The Dot-Connector’s Dilemma

Polymathic people — the big-picture thinkers, the bridge-builders, the ones who float between departments or disciplines — often go unseen or misunderstood.

You’re in a meeting, and you say something like:  “This reminds me of a concept I learned in architecture school… or a pattern I saw in supply chain optimization… or a book on behavioral economics…”  And people look at you like you’re from another planet.

But guess what?  You are.  You’re from the future.

In a World of Silos, Connectors Are Revolutionary

Organizations still tend to reward specialization.

Most job titles, performance reviews, and promotion pathways are built on linear mastery.

So if you don’t fit neatly into a box, you can get labeled as a generalist, a jack-of-all-trades, or someone who “doesn’t focus.”

But what you really are… is a dot-connector. And the world desperately needs more of you.

Dot-connectors bring synthesis. Insight.  Unexpected solutions.

They see around corners and across boundaries.  

They hold space for complexity instead of reducing it to a soundbite.

Why Dot-Connecting Is Undervalued

The challenge is: your brilliance often shows up between disciplines, between meetings, or between lines on a spreadsheet.

It’s the invisible work of sensemaking — and unless people know to look for it, they might not recognize its value.

That’s why part of mastering your polymathic power is not just having it…but learning how to frame it.

The Polymathic Method Helps You Do Just That

In my work with professionals, founders, and change agents, I teach what I call The Polymathic Method™ — a framework designed to help people who straddle multiple worlds thrive without needing to cut parts of themselves off.

One key pillar is articulating your connective value:

• Can you explain how your interdisciplinary insights lead to tangible outcomes?

  
  

• Can you show how your range enables you to translate across teams, cultures, or worldviews?

  
  

• Can you position your breadth not as “lack of focus,” but as a strategic asset?

When you learn to name your gift — and own it — others will start to see it too.

Being a Dot-Connector Is a Leadership Trait

We tend to associate leadership with decisiveness and domain expertise.

But in the future of work, leaders will be measured by their ability to navigate ambiguity, hold multiple truths, and guide people through complexity.

That’s what dot-connectors do best.

So if you’ve ever felt “too much” or “not enough,” know this:

You are exactly what this world needs more of.