Why every team needs a Generalist
“When I grow up I want to be a lawyer, an artist, a journalist and work for the National Geographic. Oh, and maybe also an astronaut. And a chef. ”
As ridiculous and unachievable as this may sound, I still secretly wish I could become all of these things. Where some perceive pure career confusion or a lack of passion, I see a born and bred generalist.
So, what is a generalist?
Oxford Dictionary defines it as a person who has knowledge of several different subjects or activities.
Lifetime favourite National Geographic also has something interesting to say about the topic.
“Generalist species can feed on a wide variety of things and thrive in various environments. Specialist species eat a limited diet and occupy a much narrower niche.”
To me a generalist, aka polymath, is someone who is curious about pretty much everything so they develop a wide range of knowledge. Their passion is variety, so they stay on the surface of the vast ocean of skills and rarely dive into the deep waters where specialists rule.
They can experience pressure to make up their minds (because being the best at one thing is way better than being second at 10 things) but they eventually come to understand the advantages of the unsettled, always wandering mind. The career of a generalist doesn’t exactly look like a path. It’s more like a maze: with no itinerary, they always end up in what seems like a totally random spot. You know you are a generalist if the ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’ question gives you chills.
However, doing some research I’ve come across multiple academic studies that find a directly proportional link between someone’s number of interests and their creative impact. A-ha!
Not to brag, but Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Marie Curie are amongst some of the names that come up when you search for polymaths.
It may seem like nothing is consciously planned in the life of a generalist but I like to think that maybe, deep inside, there is a level of decision making going on. So you can rest assured that wherever you find yourself in 5 years (or 5 hours) from now there will be something new for you to learn. And surprise can kill boredom, of course.
From a range of things to Product Manager
So, after a too-long-for-my-age list of courses and jobs, I somehow ended up in the world of digital products and I am a Product Manager. I strive to bring together a team of visual designers, user experience specialists and technical developers to deliver solutions that can meet business goals and user needs. Last but not least, I ensure we do all this in a timely manner and with a set budget.
Long story short, I make up for the lack of planning in my life, at work.
So why are generalists good PMs?
There are endless online courses you can take to polish your PM skills or just to get a certificate with the latest buzzwords. So yes, you can become a true PM specialist. But I strongly believe PMs need to be generalists at heart.
Like a GP they come to obtain just enough knowledge to ‘triage’ a problem and refer it to the relevant specialist: Is it a technology problem, do we need design or are we lacking product strategy?
Because it is the helicopter view that allows them to be creative in ways that escape the specialist laser-focussed eye. Bringing this fresh perspective, they can combine or reinvent methods that already exist and come up with new ways to solve the problem. They can simply (sometimes) join the dots.
Because, working closely with a variety of specialists, generalists develop empathy. They know what excites and irritates their team, what challenges they have and what they are passionate about. This allows them to adjust their approach, play to everyone’s strengths and identify where support is needed. They can be the glue that keeps a team moving forward.
Because the world of digital is constantly changing, and as we learnt earlier generalists feed on change. They adapt quickly to eventually thrive again. They just go with the flow but they manage to outlive the trends and tides that can bring specialist creatures to extinction.
A note before I go…
Having said what’s been said above, many of my fellow co-workers who are currently in specialist roles display generalist features and behaviours as well. So I’ve come to conclude that they aren’t mutually exclusive ways to be. Maybe the secret lies in developing T-shaped skills to ensure survival in these chameleonic times.