Generalists in a specialised world

In meetings with people from different teams, the person who knows the most about one subject is often not the one who moves the conversation forward.

One person understands the technology, another knows the customer, and someone else knows what can actually be done. Each view is useful, but incomplete. The conversation moves when someone can see how they fit together.

This is where I believe generalists add value. Experience across different areas helps them spot patterns and connections that others may miss. What looks like an unfocused path can become useful when the problem is too broad for one area of expertise.

We often think success means choosing early and focusing on one thing. But many important problems involve people behaviors, systems, technology and context at the same time.

Specialists help understand the parts. Generalists help to see the whole picture.

That wider view can turn several good opinions into one useful decision.