The Business of Meetings – Episode 205: The Generalist’s Advantage with Joe Curcillo
We are delighted to engage in a conversation with Joe Curcillo today.
Joe is a man of multiple talents and phenomenal versatility. He has worn many hats, from being a lawyer, engineer, and prosecuting attorney, to a judge, private investigator, and mentalist. He has also just written a book called The Generalist’s Advantage.
Joe joins us today to discuss what it means to be a generalist and explain how a multidisciplinary approach can enhance your skills and business.
Stay tuned for Joe Curcillo’s remarkable insights!
Joe’s Journey
Driven by what he calls professional ADD, Joe transitioned between multiple roles, from being an artist painting stage sets in high school to becoming an engineer, a lawyer, and even a judge. His approach to education defied conventional wisdom when he obtained an engineering training certificate while simultaneously attending the Temple University School of Law. Working as a civil engineer inspecting high steel bolts while attending law school, he thrived on taxing both sides of his brain daily. During the pandemic, a call from mentalist Uri Geller reignited his passion for painting, demonstrating his commitment to self-challenge and perpetual growth. His journey showcases his relentless drive to learn something new daily and his unwavering determination to embrace change.
Cross-disciplinary Thinking in the Legal World
Cross-disciplinary thinking was essential in Joe’s legal career, and his background as an engineer and artist contributed to his success as a judge. His engineering mindset allowed him to analyze evidence meticulously in juvenile court cases and detect subtleties others may have overlooked.
A Multidisciplinary Approach
Joe advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, encouraging individuals to explore various fields and continuously learn. He emphasizes the need to break away from siloed thinking. He uses the example of his professional journey to illustrate how being a generalist has allowed him to navigate different roles successfully.
Cultivating a Multidisciplinary Approach
To cultivate a multidisciplinary approach, Joe suggests asking yourself daily what new did I learn today? He also encourages people to engage in activities outside of their comfort zones. He explains that acquiring new skills broadens people’s perspectives and facilitates an easier transition between various fields.
A Business Advisor
As an advisor, Joe helped businesses integrate different disciplines and assisted organizations in breaking down communication barriers and bringing various departments together. He also helped leaders adopt a generalist mindset, allowing them to understand and connect with employees from different silos.
Balancing Mentalist Skills with Business Insights
Keen observation is a fundamental aspect of mentalism. Joe’s keen observation skills helped him to read people during business meetings. By identifying subtle cues, he could offer his clients valuable insights, helping them navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. His ability to communicate candidly, even when it involved uncomfortable truths, also helped him build trust and foster positive organizational changes.
The Illusion of Safe Spaces
Joe challenges the concept of a safe space because he believes it is not safe spaces but safe people who create environments where individuals can be authentic and express their true thoughts instead of resorting to agreeable platitudes.
The Generalist Advantage Book
Joe’s upcoming book, The Generalist Advantage, is a deep dive into the heart of being a generalist. He has divided the book into sections covering mindset, decision-making, learning skills, and the corporate application of generalists. The book began as a personal exploration and evolved into validating the importance of generalists in a rapidly changing world. The book will be released on March 1st.
Bio:
Joe Curcillo is more than just a successful multidisciplinary speaker – he’s a living embodiment of his teachings. With a wealth of real-world knowledge and skills honed through his exciting career, Joe guides audiences on a journey of discovery. He doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk, demonstrating how his using his multidisciplinary background and thinking across disciplines, has led to his success.
With Joe as your guide, you’ll gain the practical tools and insights needed to unlock your full potential and achieve your goals. An Attorney, CEO, strategic advisor, engineer, author of self-improvement/business books, fine artist, psychic entertainer, and magician.
Connect with Eric Rozenberg
Connect with Joe Curcillo
On his website
Joe Curcillo on LinkedIn
