Honestly, I believe that I grew up in the golden age of NBA basketball. Welcomed to the world as the first baby born in the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1984, I was birthed at a time where the National Basketball Association, just a few years earlier, received human-basketball-savant blessings from Above in the form of college rivals Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. At a time where the league was looking for an identity and a superstar seemingly blindfolded in the middle of a dark room, somehow they found “the light” in these two future superstars. Prior to their arrival to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, respectively, the NBA showed growth (rising salaries, free agency, parity and the advent of the three-point shot, two future superstars), but it was also known as a league without transcendent and global star power (low television ratings and tape delay games), players battling with drug and substance abuse and increased player fighting that crippled the appeal of the brand.
To propel the NBA out of the doldrums, ESPN (through its infamous show “Sportscenter”) and cable television began to help professional and amateur basketball gain a foothold in American households. Additionally, the introduction of the salary cap helped players gain a larger revenue share while aiding smaller markets with an equal playing field in terms of player contracts. Yet, the biggest impetus for league explosion can be found in my birth year of 1984. David Stern, lawyer-turned-new-NBA-Commissioner, executed advantageous TV deals, marketing campaigns and global brand strategies primarily through the appeal of a 6’6” shooting guard from the University of North Carolina named Michael Jordan.
But, what does this all have to do with the battle between specialists and generalists in the workplace? Shhh, I know; I am almost done setting the stage via the NBA. Just let me cook for a little bit longer.
Specialist
The style of play in the 1980s and 1990s was drastically different than what we currently watch on the precipice of the 2020s. Back in those times, the games were slower paced, more defensive-minded, more physical, more stand around/one-on-one actions and lineups were largely built on player specialization around the court. Of course, there were surefire Hall of Famers and multifaceted skill players in the league, but teams generally relied more on particular player expertise depending on the game situation. When I reflect on basketball in this era, most teams had a star or superstar, bruisers/enforcers who had limited offensive skills, defensive specialists, centers that did not have reliable jump shots past 15 feet and three-point specialists that were ready once one of their teammates were double-teamed.
Generalist
In today’s game, a considerable number of wily veterans of the rugged ’80s and 90’s would call modern basketball “soft” because the rules have been aided to benefit offense, but some former players would admit that they actually enjoy the evolution of the game. NBA general managers, scouts and coaches are looking for players who have a more all-around skillset, regardless of position. In fact, this generation has been known as the age of “positionless” basketball; the expectation is to find and develop players into all-around threats (passing, shooting, dribbling, defense) with the ability to play and guard multiple positions. Routinely, you will see power forwards and centers shooting three-point shots, tall players dribbling and passing with the competence and grace of a point guard, big men leading their team in assists and more trust and minutes given to players who are the most advanced with all fundamentals of the game. Modern NBA players are interchangeable, versatile chess pieces that can wreak havoc on any given night.
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So, which style is better in the workplace — specialist or generalist?
The specialist role in business has notable strengths and weaknesses to explore. Before analyzing its value, it is first necessary to define what work specialization means. Specialization is a division of labor where processes are preferred to be split into individual tasks for the benefit of increased business efficiency and productivity. For example, a manufacturing company may decide to split sophisticated processes into smaller, simple processes where specialists can handle work more skillfully at each step. Thus, specialization can help an organization identify internal and external talent through a defined work skillset. Additionally, there is a certain level of pride that an employee, company or customer can find in the quality of a product or service. Consistent, high-quality work invites increased trust in the consumer base. Moreover, specialization can reduce costs attributed to errors while simultaneously lifting productivity levels. Oh, did I mention that specialists are paid quite well for their specific knowledge, skills, experience and abilities? Conversely, some of the disadvantages of being a specialist include, but are not limited to, skills becoming outdated over time, employees restricted in job prospects, difficulty for employees to take breaks or extended leave and the mundane nature of work can lead to boredom and job dissatisfaction over time.
A generalist role shows workplace competency in various areas. In business, a generalist has value because he/she tends to focus on the details to develop the larger picture. To cultivate this perspective, a generalist thinks critically about his/her position, department and cross-functional relationships to solve problems or to improve performance through traditional and non-traditional approaches. Because a generalist can work closely with other diversified groups of people in the workplace, oftentimes a person in this role has broad, interchangeable skills that firmly contribute to a company’s scalability, resourcefulness and leadership. Since these types are familiar with changes and expectations in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, they are more prepared to answer problems and challenges. Contrarily, generalists do not have the same in-depth understanding of work-related subjects, processes and things in comparison to a specialist. Also, specialists are more known as subject matter experts (SMEs) and thought leaders in a particular industry due to their niche focus on a particular person, place or thing. Lastly, a generalist is typically more expendable than a specialist because there are other prospects in the labor market that could have the same/similar proficiencies.
Overall, there are a number of factors to consider if a specialist or generalist role is better for you. For example, if you are looking to be a clinical pharmacist and have the inner drive to succeed, this line of work requires a particular depth of knowledge, schooling and experience befitting of a specialist. Also, examine this — what if you are a person who gets bored easily doing the same tasks day-in and day-out? Perhaps, a specialist role is not a quality career fit based on your personality for the long-term.
The answer in this question first lies in your personality and ambition before figuring out what the job market prefers. Personally, I believe some of the specialist roles will become outdated due to the advance of technology, especially as society continues to transition to the fourth industrial revolution — digital technologies. Yet, based on my personality and my ambition, I have a penchant to look at things from a balanced point of view in order to investigate the possibilities of a win-win when people are overly-ready to pick a side. The same outlook applies to this argument, too. What if there was a way to achieve both? Well, according to Martin Luenendork, some are suggesting the future career path might look more like generalizing-specialist vs. specializing-generalist. Lev Kaye, the founder and CEO of CredSpark, wrote about these two categories. The definition of these new career paths states:
A generalizing-specialist is someone who starts out as a generalist, but also has in-depth knowledge over a particular area.
A specializing-generalist is someone who is specialized in a particular field, but also has a broader understanding of other aspects of the business.
“If all you have in your toolbox is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail.” - Duncan W. Harrison, Jr., close friend and Associate Director at Princeton University.
Ah-ha! It’s vital to have more than one skill as well to be resourceful with the tools that we have. Perhaps, these above approaches are the keys to increasing professional value. No one can place limits on your career ascension other than you! There is no one policing your ability to be a specialist who has the curiosity or natural inclination to see the bigger picture, or vice versa. In debates, both sides adamantly defend their beliefs, but as a child, I have always wanted to innovate debate structures and add a middle debater who offered credence to the profound, thought-provoking statements of both sides (unless you just watched the first 2020 U.S. presidential debate). Yes, I am more of the “truth-is-found-somewhere-in-the-middle” type of person, but the future of work will require discipline in both arenas for a person to be considered top talent. Chances are that entertaining both roles, at some level, can provide the long-term job satisfaction and security needed to find a lane that is less traveled on the job market expressway.
