Specialisation In Generalisation

November 2023 ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ 2 minute read

In the 21st century, the typical career avenue involves a fairly standard formula:

1. Complete primary school
2. Complete high school
3. Complete university
4. Get a job based off whatever degree completed in university

Each transition between each of these steps involve greater level of honing in on one specific area of expertise. Primary school is essentially a free for all. High school requires you to select electives. University requires you to select one specific field. And by the time you've reached a job, most will have found something of a niche within their given field. This is specialisation, and it makes sense, both on a micro and macro economic level.

Now, if specialisation is so good, what is to be said for generalisation?

Generalisation involves being a Jack of All Trades - someone who is passable but not proficient in not just one, but many areas. The advantage of this is that the overlap between every area is able to generate something much greater than the sum of its parts. Insights and ideas drawn from one field are able to inform and complement insights and ideas from other fields. With a basic understanding of one area, you are able to very easily use it as a lens through which to view another.

The difference between specialisation and generalisation is essentially the difference between a microscope and a telescope. Both views are limiting, but with a telescope you can see so much further. Generalisation gives you scope, and scope gives you perspective. It's the difference between seeing details or seeing the big picture.

Now, what do we call the people who can see the big picture? Entrepeneurs, managers, visionaries, innovators - in a word, leaders. By definition, leaders have to be able to deal with multiple people and by extension, multiple areas of expertise. Not proficiently mind you; just enough to have a basic enough understand to get the job done. The CEO of a company on any given day will have to deal with decisions in marketing, operations, finance, employees, sales channels, stakeholders... you name it. Essentially, those who have generalised knowledge are the only ones who can manage all those who specialise.

Those who specialise box themselves in. In this lightspeed changing world, one area of specialisation can become redundant in the blink of an eye. On the other hand, to generalise is to stay both broad and dynamic. So, in one respect I am in favour specialisation... Just specialisation in generalisation.

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