Jack of all trades: In defense of generalists

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

Rumor is that quote was originally used to describe William Shakespeare. He was an aspiring playright who would help out at the local theaters. He would do anything – help with set design, costumes, and directing. He would help the actors practice lines. That variety of experience in writing, theater and design is what projected him to stardom.

I’m a proud jack of all trades and self-proclaimed marketing and communications generalist. Knowing a little bit about everything has helped me tremendously in my field. I have a degree in public relations and print journalism (“print” journalism – what’s that? 😆) and in over two decades I have been a writer, social media manager, event coordinator, webmaster, fundraiser, graphic designer, email marketer, engagement leader, data analyst, publicist, photographer, video creator, online community manager, and more.

A generalists can see the big picture and how everything works together. A generalist can “fill in” for specialists. A generalists can provide the 30,000 foot view while keeping details in check.

In a world full of specialists, generalists draw from a variety of experiences and insights to be successful. Being a generalists allows you to explore your strengths and weaknesses and offers flexibly in your career.

I recently read Range by David Epstein who argues generalists are primed to excel by trying different things first, not specializing in one thing. His research indicates that most elite athletes, exceptional musicians and high achievers all started out as generalists, trying several sports or instruments first, then narrow their focus later.

While the world absolutely needs specialists, generalists are “people who start broad and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives while they progress. – people with range.” Generalists are your organization’s best kept secret. Generalists “put it all together” and often create solutions based on their broad experiences.