Are You a Specialist?

My Dad spent the majority of his career at one company, doing one thing. I believe that was "their generation." I always thought it was boring. One of the greatest attractions of a career in media sales is the variety of work throughout the day. Today, you can be a banker, a car dealer, a restaurant owner and the owner of a dress shop or as Mike Hulvey says, "sell hamburgers." It's a boredom-proof career.

In thousands of conversations with managers and sellers, if we could pick one shift that separates average media sales performance from exceptional growth, it's this: move from being a specialist to being a synthesizer. In a recent article in Psychology Today, they argue that in an age where AI and automation are compressing expertise, what truly stands out is cognitive range — the ability to think wide, integrate and adapt. In our media-sales world, that means we don't just sell spots, we connect platforms, audience insight, creative execution and client business results into one big story.

For the seller:

You're no longer just the radio expert who knows CPP, CPMs, demo, reach and frequency. You're the integrator who connects four "intelligences": Analytical: You understand the system — client funnel, campaign ROI, digital versus linear trade-offs – in other words, a strategic approach.

Visionary: You spot what comes next — new formats, emerging behaviors, hybrid models.

Relational: You build trust, decode client emotions anc translate complexity into something meaningful. You're a great storyteller.

Competitive: You act decisively — you move when the time is right, don't wait for perfection.

This quote from the article resonates:

"Leaders who succeed now integrate analytical, visionary, relational and competitive intelligence."

Your edge comes when you move fluidly across domains (NO SILOS) in a client conversation: advertising, content, data and measurement. AI may give you faster numbers — but it won't replace your ability to connect meaning, interpret nuance and make bold calls.

For the manager:

You're building a team whose performance will be judged not just by "how many spots sold or deals closed" but by "how many integrated solutions sold, and how much client impact was delivered." Encourage your reps to develop that Renaissance mindset the article describes:

"Leaders who will shape the future … bring together judgment, empathy, imagination, courage and integrative thinking."

That means:

Hiring or developing people who aren't just excellent at one format — but curious across traditional, mobile, OTT, sponsorship and measurement. Coaching reps to ask broader questions: What's the client's business challenge? What systems are in place? Where is change happening?

Rewarding client success, not just company success.

Bottom line:

The pace and complexity of what we do are accelerating. Formats shift. Behaviors evolve. Clients expect more than ":30s, :60s, Morning Drive and Sports." They expect solutions.

Whether you're working with clients or mentoring your team, remember: sell or lead from integration, not isolation. Connect the dots. Bridge format, data, strategy and creativity. Offer something that AI-driven systems can't: your human ability to turn complexity into clarity, and turn media advertising investments into business stories.

Get comfortable thinking across domains. Ask bigger questions. Build trust through insight. Act with courage. Because in the Age of AI, your edge isn't what you know—it's how you think.

Think Big, Make Big Things Happen!

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@rab.com. You can all so connect with him on X and LinkedIn