A Jack of All Trades Is a Master of None… and That’s Why Product Managers Thrive
You’ve probably heard the phrase: "A jack of all trades is a master of none."
It’s often thrown around as an insult—implying that not mastering one thing is a weakness. But the full quote tells a different story: "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."
That last part changes everything. And for Product Managers, it’s not just relevant—it’s a job requirement.
PMs Need to Be Jacks of All Trades
A great PM isn’t just a master of Agile, UX, or strategy. Instead, they must juggle a wide range of skills—enough to understand, empathize, and make informed decisions across different disciplines.
You need to know a little coding, grasp UX principles, have a solid handle on business strategy, and be able to communicate like a PR spokesperson. You also need to be able to tell compelling stories that resonate with different audiences—developers, designers, marketers, and executives alike.
But being a generalist isn’t just about knowing a little about everything. It’s about knowing when to dive deep, when to step back, and when to let experts do their thing.
Why It Matters: My Experience
1. When Being a Data Generalist Saved the Day
I once worked on a data problem where we had two sources of information—one always deemed the "better" source. The rule was simple: always trust the better one. But over time, that assumption failed.
Because I had worked with data in previous roles, I didn’t just blindly follow the rule. Instead, I built an algorithm to evaluate both sources dynamically and select the best data per item. A narrow specialist might have stuck to the original assumption—but being a Jack of all trades in data helped me find a better approach.
2. The Temptation to Do It All (And Why That’s a Trap)
There have been many times when I thought, "I’ll just design this myself—it’s faster than explaining it to a designer."
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Not only did it take me four times longer, but the result was at best half as good as what a great designer would have done. And yet, the temptation remains. One of the hardest lessons as a generalist PM is learning when to step back and let experts shine.
3. Learning to Influence at the Age of 7
One of the most important skills a PM needs is the ability to influence people.
I learned this skill early—when I was seven years old, growing up in a pub. I quickly figured out how to convince customers to let me play pool with them or help them find cheat codes on arcade machines. My ultimate skill? Getting them to buy me a packet of crisps (chips, for the Americans out there).
That skill has never left me. Over the years, I’ve refined it, but the core remains the same: everyone has different motivations. Understanding those motivations and learning how to influence people based on them is key to being an effective PM.
4. The Biggest Mistake: Trying to Do Everything
At some point in my career, I fell into the trap of trying to do everything myself—marketing, coding, designing. And in doing so, I lost sight of my core role as a PM:
?? To facilitate people. ?? To facilitate ideas. ?? To facilitate decision-making.
Yes, my knowledge and ideas shape a product. But I am not the product. My job is to empower the developers, designers, marketers, and data teams to do their best work—not to do their work for them.
Gaining Trust as a Generalist PM
One challenge of being a Jack of all trades is earning credibility with specialists. So how do I gain trust with engineers, designers, and marketers?
By admitting I’m not the expert.
I don’t pretend to know more than them. I make it clear that while I understand their work, they are the experts. I also make a habit of being wrong (out loud) more often than I’d like to admit. This humility builds trust and allows teams to open up—sometimes they solve problems just by explaining them to me.
Why Generalist PMs Are More Valuable
Some companies may prefer highly specialized PMs. But in my experience, the most valuable PMs are the ones who can adapt to different industries and challenges.
I’ve worked on everything from:
Each role, each product, each website launch taught me something. All those little pieces of knowledge add up—and make me a generalist who knows a lot.
And frankly? Being a specialist in something like Microsoft Exchange may have limited value outside of a small niche.
The One Specialist Skill I’m Developing: Public Speaking
If there’s one specialist skill I want to master, it’s public speaking.
PMs are constantly selling ideas—to teams, to leadership, to customers. I’ve been working hard on learning how to speak confidently, tell engaging stories, and put my ideas out there.
I want to share more. I want to get better at presenting my ideas. I want to make an impact beyond my immediate team.
Maybe I’ll never be a specialist PM, but perhaps I can become a specialist in storytelling and influence.
A Jack of All Trades PM Starter Pack
Want to become a well-rounded PM? Start here:
?? Books to Read:
?? Skills to Develop:
?? Challenge: Every week, record yourself talking about a topic you’re passionate about or something new you’ve learned. Public speaking improves by doing.
Final Thought: Should PMs Specialize?
PMs can specialize in an industry—fintech, proptech, AI, etc.—but I don’t believe in specializing in a single discipline like UX or marketing.
That said, switching industries as a PM can be hard. I’ve done it, and the learning curve is steep. But it’s worth it. Every industry, every experience, adds to your PM toolkit.
Because at the end of the day, products are products. The challenge of building something people want, love, and use is universal.
TL;DR – Embrace Being a Jack of All Trades
PMs aren’t supposed to be the best at any one thing. Our job is to connect the dots between experts and guide products to success.
So the next time someone says, "A jack of all trades is a master of none," remind them of the full quote. Because in Product Management, being a Jack of all trades isn’t just valuable—it’s essential.
What do you think?
Do you agree that PMs need to be generalists? Have you ever struggled with being "a master of none"? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Perceptive & Strategic Problem-Solver | Customer Success and Product Management
1 天前I've labelled myself as an expert generalist for most of my life. I've had a hard time narrowing down my focus to any one career path. Marketing, Customer Success, Sales, event planning, Business development, public education, circus performer - I've done a bit of everything. That's what is bringing me to the world of Product management. I'm definitely finding it hard to break in with such a diverse skillset.