Specialisation Is For Insects - In Praise Of The Polymath.
I came across this quote a year ago in a New Yorker article. I'd never heard of writer Robert A Heinlein (fyi the granddaddy of science fiction but also a modern thinker when it came to self-determinism), but this provocative quote from his novel Time Enough For Love, resonated with me and it's now a manifesto of sorts, one that champions stoicism, celebrates learning and the lifelong commitment to being useful.
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
This is obviously fictional - to be this capable would be superhuman, and I hope 'planning an invasion' is never added to the national curriculum. Moreover, all specialist knowledge carries huge value. But being a skilled generalist is increasingly valuable in business and life.
Celebrated as a renaissance ideal (pursuit of a universal education inspired the creation of universities), polymaths had a rounded approach to learning. A Renaissance man or woman is said to have more than just superficial knowledge of a few areas, possessing a more profound understanding of the world and what it meant to be human - hence the term 'humanities'.
Professionally I enjoy working with Polymaths. People who can do many things - write, teach, build pivot tables, sketch, persuade, produce and possibly fix computers - these guys are innovator-mavericks and add so much value to everything they touch.
To ensure a team of polymaths thrive, the environment must be hospitable.
Processes or job titles shouldn't get in the way - operating a high freedom environment will allow the space to exercise and execute, which might result in a little bit of chaos occasionally, but polymaths can deal with ambiguity, and are usually self-disciplined enough to work within a framework.
A little chaos is preferable to an over-regimented system that discourages autonomy, creativity and innovation.
I always aim to hire 'full-stack' humans for lean teams because, yes, it makes economic sense, but for any business with entrepreneurial DNA it's critical to solving our customers' problems quickly and creatively, without over-complicating or overcrowding.
I look for people who tend to:
Be hungry to make a bigger contribution
Make tough decisions without agonising
Minimise complexity and find time to simplify
Contribute outside their specialty
Easily pickup or teach themselves new skills
Focus on results rather than process
Distinguish what must be done perfectly, versus what just needs to be done
Account Directors with a love of applied mathematics, Project Managers who speak five languages, Finance Directors who can wire a building...we love them for their weird and athletic brains. They also bring an insatiable appetite for new ideas and best practices, ways to be more productive and happy, and are more invested in the business's success.
I don't rate myself as a polymath (just a polymath fan-girl) but I'm a proud generalist who regularly abandons my job-specific intellectual plot of land to go rambling, joyfully and sometimes painfully, across previously sanctioned areas of expertise.
Not sure if this will ever cover how to butcher a hog.
