we are all “T-shaped” individuals

Lord  Henry P Brougham and Vaux (1778 – 1868) said “it is well to read everything of something, and something of everything”. Actually the same quote is also attributed to Thomas Hardy (1840 – 1928) and Thomas H Huxley (1825 – 1895), I read the Lord Brougham one first, so that’s my first choice of attribution.
Since then I read a book by Tom Kelley of IDEO where he talks about cross-pollinators, what they call “T-shaped” individuals. “…they enjoy a breadth of knowledge in many fields, but they also have depth in at least one area of expertise”.
I take these ideas to mean much the same thing but I think “T-shaped” individuals creates a memorable image.
Meet our T-shaped individuals