Be a Master, not a Jack.
Expertise is vital; brilliance is precious.
I am going to tell you what to do. Sorry, no apologies. I know this truth. So, let’s go.
You’d rather have a team of experts working on a problem than a gaggle of generalists. Your probability of success rockets with the number of specialists in your team.
We know that natural-born polymaths, Renaissance men (or women), the likes of Leonardo, Galileo, and Newton are one in a billion. It takes years to become good at even one thing for regular people. But being very good at something is very good. Aim high, be proud to go for it and maintain it if you achieve it.
To become an expert, immerse yourself in the same thing for most of your working or learning life. It takes a long time to master something worthwhile. Popular self-help books also tell us this. But when you get to excellence, you’ll contribute something vital or beautiful to the world.
Consider yourself fortunate if your organization is function-based. Respect well-defined roles and responsibilities at all levels. Don’t take pride in saying, “I can do it all”, or “I can do that too”. Stick to your part and encourage others to stick to theirs. Every function is important for a balanced team. Do not put any role down, but be proud to be fit for your own.
If someone is not doing a good job, help them improve. Don’t do the job for them, even if you can. If improvement is not happening, replace the person with a more capable one dedicated to the role. Using someone who normally does something else should be the last resort and a fleeting one.
Avoid taking on more than one role for any reason. Especially not to stand out or become indispensable. It’ll not serve you or society in the long run. Be alert not to let it happen gradually or through pressure.
Whatever you love to do, specialise, specialise, specialise in it. Make sure you deliver results every day from your imperfect self but enjoy and stay on your journey to your best self.
In the end, your epitaph will be, “By Jove! She was a great …..”
Hopefully not, “Oh, she was all right at A, and a bit of B.”
And heaven forbid, “Hmm, can’t remember what he did….”
Published By Shashidhar Sastry
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