The Anchor and the Wings: Rethinking the T-Shaped Leader for Today’s Project World

This Thanksgiving break gave me something I didn’t even know I was desperate for:

Stillness. Distance. And uninterrupted deep thinking.

If you read my recent articles, you know the hybrid world has all of us operating in constant motion — multitasking, responding, shifting, juggling.

So stepping away from the noise felt… clarifying.

And in that quiet, one reflection rose above everything.

It came from a recent conversation with my boss.

He looked at my career and said something I couldn’t shake:

“You’re highly adaptable. You can lead in different industries, frameworks, and environments. But to go further, you need to sharpen the one thing you want to be known for — the thing you can drive, grow, and master.”

And as he said this, something clicked.

Because as a business consultant, I know this.

As a strategist, I teach this.

But as a leader navigating my own growth?

I needed the reminder.

That one thing sparked an entire chain of thought:

What does it actually mean to focus? And what does it look like to grow your career with intention, not just adaptability?

And that’s when the T-Shaped Leader concept resurfaced for me.

The Classic T-Shaped Leader Model

Originally, the T-shaped leader represents:

• Depth in one core expertise (the vertical bar of the T)
• Breadth across disciplines (the horizontal bar)

Great leaders integrate both: They go deep and work across functions.

We’ve all seen this model. We’ve all nodded at it.

But very few people talk about what it feels like in real life — or how it shows up differently for different personality types.

So I want to share my interpretation.

My Version: The Anchor and The Wings

When I think about the T-shaped leader, I don’t just see a T.

I see:

An Anchor

Your depth. Your core.

The thing you can deliver with mastery, clarity, and confidence.

And…

A Pair of Wings

Your breadth. Your transversal leadership skills.

Your ability to collaborate, influence, communicate, and navigate complexity.

The anchor lets you stand firmly.

The wings let you rise, scale, and expand.

The most successful careers — and the most successful brands — grow exactly this way.

Brands Prove It Every Day

Think about how many breakout brands today started with one razor-sharp anchor:

• Stanley → one iconic water bottle before expanding into lifestyle
• Glossier → “skin first” minimal products before scaling
• Liquid Death → water in a can before merch, flavors, and experiences
• Dyson → one vacuum before dominating multiple categories

Every successful business is built on one anchor — the thing they’re known for — before they grow their wings.

So why would careers be any different?

For Introverts, the Anchor Is Often Natural

Most introverts build deep mastery early.

We observe, analyze, reflect.

We value depth over noise.

So our “anchor” tends to grow first — sometimes without us even noticing.

That’s why so many introverts excel in:

• technical roles
• analytical roles
• project problem-solving
• systems thinking
• operational clarity

The challenge often comes later…

When it’s time to build the wings — communication, influence, visibility, executive presence, relationship building.

Because the space where wings grow?

It’s crowded with extroverts.

And the way wings spread?

It requires being seen.

This is exactly where many introverted project leaders get stuck:

Deep mastery, limited visibility.

Strong anchor, underdeveloped wings.

Why the T-Shape Matters More Than Ever in Today’s Project Leadership

Project management is no longer:

“Track tasks. Follow up. Be everywhere. Chase everything.”

Hybrid work and technology changed the rules.

Today’s project leaders must be:

• strategic
• influential
• communicators
• change navigators
• cross-functional orchestrators
• value creators

This shift demands a T-shaped leader:

• Anchor: the one thing you can lead with mastery
• Wings: the influence skills that help you land impact at scale

Whether you start with the anchor or start with the wings, both matter.

But for introverts especially — building the wings is often the transformative unlock.

Final Reflection

This Thanksgiving, that quiet pause reminded me:

Growth isn’t about becoming everything.

It’s about becoming your thing — deeply — and then learning to amplify it.

Career success mirrors business success:

Anchor first.

Wings next.

Depth, then scale.

And now I want to turn the question to you:

What is your anchor?

And what wings do you need to grow next?

If this resonates with you, here are a few resources that might help:

• Introverted Leadership Newsletter on LinkedIn– weekly insights & frameworks
• ProjectScenarios.com – free tools and resources for project leadership growth
• Introverted Leadership Podcast on YouTube – real stories + leadership tools
• Quiet Decision Making Framework Guide – strategies for decision making without burnout

And if this article made you think — share it with someone who’s building their anchor (or their wings).

Until next time,

lead quietly, but confidently.