In celebration of the generalist
A specialist of a different kind
Dear readers - While I’ve occasionally referred to myself as a generalist, what follows is more of an aspirational perspective on a level I am far from achieving. After all, the novice generalist, like anyone trying to master a skill, must put in the effort and years required to be genuinely great. One must specialize in being a generalist, so it seems. For me, being a proper generalist is a work in progress. Still, it’s a goal worth aspiring to. ~ JRC
We've all heard the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none." It's often used as a back-handed compliment, meaning, "Yeah, that person does many different things, but none of them all that well." But another side to being a generalist, a do-all, is far more admirable. It's the ability to think beyond a limited set of means and materials, to go the route that makes the most sense, not necessarily follow the path that fits one's experience alone. In short, being a Jack of All Trades is about doing what needs to be done in a way that gets results.
Specializing has its merits, of course. These artists, designers, and makers - professionals of all kinds - spend years perfecting their chosen paths. The masterful woodworker, the regimented welder, the resourceful quilter, the disciplined potter - not to mention the skilled surgeon, nuanced engineer, and qualified scientist - these and many others exhibit all that it means to be a true master of their craft.
It takes a combination of qualities to be a genuine specialist, from dedication to practice and perseverance to God-given talent. Specializing takes both time and skill. And the rarified few that obtain this lofty status are much deserved the title "expert."
Many of the world's most talented artists, innovators, and practitioners are hyper-focused specialists. But there are consequences of such specializing. Some can spend so much energy and devotion on a singular skill that abilities in other areas are neglected. In the most restricted scenario, such expertise renders the master able to perform little but a limited set of functions. And we rarely call on these specialists for anything but what they are so adept at performing.
Generalists, on the other hand, seemingly can do it all. These are the go-to people who know what to do in a pinch and can perform miracles in maintaining the everyday necessities of life. The generalist keeps the world running by diagnosing problems, finding solutions, and making things work as we expect. In an almost mysterious way, generalists see what's wrong and have the means to make things right.
Many tradespeople are generalists. While they "specialize" to a degree, be it as an electrician, carpenter, plumber, or other such vocation, to be a tradesperson requires a high degree of problem-solving ability and inventiveness. These qualities lend themselves to various skills employable in numerous situations. In short, the specialist here is, in fact, the generalist.
The proof is in the doing: any one of these vocational professionals is anything but limited by their trade after hours. Able to fix anything around the house, tradespeople rarely have to call a professional themselves. Because they are the generalist, they are adept across the spectrum of all that needs doing.
The generalist is the epitome of do-it-yourself, and tradespeople exhibit this in spades.
Being a generalist also means tackling new challenges with confidence. One can pick up new tools and use novel materials to create solutions - and often art - in ways others might not or can't. As such, generalists often explore new media, methods, and ways to do things.
They pride themselves in being capable and working hard, not at specializing, but rather at being able to do well whatever they set out to do that day. Yes, the generalist strives to do their best in everything they undertake, but they've learned that actually doing it - rather than not - is what matters most.
The generalist is almost always not at the top of the field in any single media they work. And that's okay with them. Generalists don't let great get in the way of good. Instead, they aim for a solid job that gets results. Clean finishes with dependable workings - these are the goals of the generalist across anything they choose to do. And in so doing, the sum of these good-but-not-great efforts results in excellence of a different kind.
More important than perfection, being a generalist provides a means to experiment and the confidence to know they probably can, even if they never have before.
So here's to the generalists out there. Always on call and ready to help, those makers capable of making whatever they set their minds to. Because they try, because they do, because they can. While not the master of any one, their mastery is in the whole.
The generalist - a specialist of a different kind.
Until next time.
JRC