Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
How to flex your fluxiness muscle
Jobs | Organization
September 17, 2021 – Being outside our comfort zone can be, well, uncomfortable. But, in a world of flux where change is the only constant, workers who embrace a flux-forward mindset can actually grow into new roles that map better with the future. This means leaning into uncertainty, keeping the big picture in sight, and figuring out what new skills to acquire.
To read the interview, visit “Author Talks: April Rinne on finding calm and meaning in a world of flux,” August 27, 2021.
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Visual form
Conceptual skills-profile infographic.
Layout / body structure
The page is arranged in two tiers: an explanatory top row about breadth and depth of skills, and a bottom row of four large circular profile icons. Reader takes the breadth and depth definitions first and then moves left to right through the I-shaped, T-shaped, Pi-shaped, and X-shaped profile examples.
What is being compared
The chart compares different ways professional identity can be structured in a world in flux by contrasting breadth of essential skills with depth of expertise. It then compares four profile types that combine those dimensions differently.
Measurement system
There is no numeric axis on this chart. The comparison is categorical and directional, using horizontal arrows to indicate breadth, vertical arrows to indicate depth, and the icon shapes themselves to show how those dimensions combine.
Visible structure inside the graphic
At the top, a horizontal arrow box explains breadth while a vertical arrow box explains depth. Below, four large blue circles each contain a different line-and-arrow shape: an I for deep specialization, a T for combined breadth and depth, a Pi for breadth with depth in more than one area, and an X for breadth, depth, diversity, and the ability to stretch across domains.
Main takeaway from the visual
The graphic argues that a useful professional identity in a world of flux is not defined by one rigid specialization alone. By setting the four profile icons side by side, it makes multi-dimensional skill combinations feel more adaptive and more valuable than a single narrow track.
Key standout values or extremes
Because the chart is nonnumeric, the strongest visual contrast is between the simple I-shaped profile at the left and the more expansive X-shaped profile at the right. The T-shaped and Pi-shaped profiles sit between those poles and make the progression from single-depth expertise toward broader and more layered capability explicit.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static chart image with no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the chart image is the full visual on this page.