That specialist needs a generalist who understands enough about the programmer’s job to communicate with clients. Think of the IT professional who works in a very specialized programming language, but prefers interacting with computers to humans. In the workplace, you’ll often find specialists and generalists working side-by-side, producing great products and services. And that path may be to move from generalist to specialist, or it may be to remain a generalist. It may take years of jumping from one field to the next before a person finds their path. The Case For GeneralistsĬhoosing a career can be a difficult endeavor. The world certainly needs its specialists-its medical professionals, researchers, lawyers, engineers-but there’s a very real need for generalists too. However, they’re not in opposition to each other they’re allies. Specialists focus intensely on one area generalists float from skill to skill, learning and practicing a variety of things. It may seem that generalists and specialists are at odds with one another. Malcolm Gladwell expounded on Ericsson’s work in his book, Outliers, by discussing the “10,000-Hour Rule”-the idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become a world-class expert in any area. Anders Ericsson, stated it takes very specific, deliberate (and often unpleasant) practice to reach peak performance in a field. In recent years, we’ve heard from other authors that success comes from years of specialized work and practice. SpecialistsĮpstein’s assertion may throw some of us for a loop. It’s often quoted that way, but the full saying is “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” Well, that sheds some new light! In fact, a book written earlier this year by David Epstein, Range, posits that it’s the generalists who excel in today’s specialized world. When we think of generalists, we may think “jack of all trades, master of none.” Not exactly a compliment, is it? But that phrase is incomplete. They were, in today’s terms, extremely successful generalists.

When we think of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, we think of the term “Renaissance man.” They were knowledgeable about a wide variety of things and remembered for their lasting contributions to the fields of art, science, architecture, and poetry.

Epstein argues that generalists who think broadly are the ones who will excel.

Conventional wisdom tells us that succeeding in becoming an expert takes years of specialized work and practice.David Epstein’s new book, Range, examines how generalists triumph in a specialized world.

Generalist in a specialized world