Thriving in a Dynamic Business Environment – Experts vs. Generalists

From 0 to 112 kilometers per hour in just 3 seconds! I am not talking about any sports car. With an elongated spine, a slender body, sharp claws, and long legs, the Cheetah has evolved for speed. It is highly unlikely that a Cheetah will miss its prey once it starts chasing one. It cannot only outrun its prey, but can also slow down and modulate to mirror the prey-specific speed and take rapid turns. Let’s just say they are the experts in speed-hunting!

Yet, we all know, they are endangered, for whatever reason it may be. Loss of habitat, human activities, climate change, and specific dietary requirements, the reason is immaterial. No one is expecting the Cheetah to adapt and become a grass-eater all of a sudden. Continuing to live life the same old way, because one is good at it and knows no other way, can land us in real trouble. Disruptions come unannounced and they can change the course of life, forever. Much like our own lives and careers in these unprecedented times.

Now, there is another interesting animal, not many know of, called Tardigrades. It is a near-microscopic animal, with eight legs, a round body and is extremely slow moving. These seemingly insignificant animals are apparently the most resilient ones on this planet. They are found literally everywhere and can live under all conditions; boiling water, below zero temperatures, high pressure conditions under the sea, mountain tops, suffocating gases, burning ultra violet radiations from space; you name it. These adaptations for survival were a direct response to their surroundings that were changing rapidly. Tardigrades come across as Generalists. An alternative perspective is to look at them also as Experts, experts of adaptability. 

The important point I am trying to draw here is that - Adaptability is the key. One who is able to quickly anticipate and understand the changing nature of the surroundings and is ready to make changes, sometimes significant ones, is the one who survives and thrives.  So, the question, whether to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or a Generalist, is not the same as whether one should be fixed or flexible.

In a perfect scenario, when businesses run as usual, both SMEs and Generalists can do their bits to contribute to a business successfully. While SMEs work on fixing problems through their niche expertise and deep knowledge, Generalists drive the business with a more comprehensive approach and system-level thinking.

Only that there is no such thing as a perfect scenario. Disruptions and uncertainty have become more certain now than ever and organizations are constantly trying to adapt their organizations to survive and thrive. Focus shifts towards doing more with less and so in such a scenario, it is likely that an SME who was indispensable in a niche area could possibly be of no relevance as the old technology becomes obsolete overnight. It is also equally possible that there may not be the need for too many Generalists to run day-to-day operations during a downturn.

Without being labelled into an SME or a Generalist, one should therefore strive to continuously learn and be curious. Being able to quickly adapt to changing circumstances provides a competitive advantage and such traits help us in doing so.

I was one of the very few in my 3rd semester electrical engineering class who liked Electro Magnetics and I pursued it until completing my PhD from Univ. of Massachusetts getting specialized more and more in that field. Coming out of the University, I had to make a decision to specialize even more or to become a generalist. I made a decision to get wider perspectives instead of deeper expertise. I joined HP’s Microwaves Division as a manufacturing engineer, which brought me closer to the realities of a business but in my field of expertise. Eventually, this blend of learnings paved way for me to take up the operations role in the tech-intensive engineering services company. 

Each of us come to the crossroads where we need to decide whether to be an Expert or a Generalist. The decision should be based on what brings you Joy of Working – what are you passionate about? Whatever path you choose, you must remember to be flexible and adaptable. An SME should always be learning the next new technology trend in her/his field. Similarly, a Generalist should try to understand how different businesses and industries are related and interact with each other and not stay limited to any particular vertical. Only then, I believe, one would be well prepared and equipped to make quick alignments when the need arises.

This has been a highly debated topic of whether one should be an SME or a Generalist. There are pros and cons to both and clearly there is no straight answer. I am very interested to learn from your perspectives about HOW and WHAT one should do in their respective roles to stay more relevant and future ready? Do drop in your views.

(Would like to thank @Neha Das for her help in drafting this article).