The Case for the Generalist: Why We Need Balance
Do we really need another specialist? Or are we missing something much bigger?
Take a look around. We live in a society that is obsessed with narrowing down. We are constantly dissecting the world into smaller and smaller pieces. In education, in healthcare, in the corporate world… the mantra is always the same: specialize, optimize, niche down. We are always looking for that one silver bullet, that one specific expert who can fix a singular problem.
But in this race for specialization, I believe we are losing our balance.
The Vulnerability of Silos
We are building organizations that are incredibly efficient in their silos, yet incredibly fragile as a whole. We have separated the head from the heart, technology from creativity, and strategy from intuition. We have plenty of bricks, but we are running out of mortar.
It reminds me of that provocative quote by the science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein: “Specialization is for insects.”
Think about that for a second. An insect is designed to do one thing perfectly. But a human being? A human being is designed to adapt, to learn, to connect.
Without generalists—the people who act as the glue between all those separate departments—organizations become stiff. They lose their soul. They lose their ability to innovate because innovation doesn’t happen inside a box; it happens at the intersection of boxes.
Enter the Multipotentialite
Generalists bring connection. We bring resilience. And most importantly, we bring creativity.
While the specialist excels in the measurable—the KPIs, the code, the specific legal clause—I operate in the realm of the unmeasurable. I work with feelings, with context, with the subtle nuances that you cannot capture in a spreadsheet. Yet, these are exactly the things that make an organization flourish.
This is why I embrace the term Multipotentialite.
I am not just ‘an IT guy’, or ‘a photographer’, or ‘a coach’. I am the sum of these parts. With a background in high-level management and IT consultancy, I understand the structures, the logic, and the bottom line. But with my experience in the creative arts—from conceptual art to commercial photography—I understand the human story behind that logic.
I use technology to build efficiency, but I use art to build vision.
I use coaching to understand the person, so the professional can thrive.
I bridge the gap between the binary world of zeros and ones, and the infinite world of human emotion.
Let’s Connect the Dots
If you look at this platform, YoDennis.com, you will see this philosophy in action. It’s not just a portfolio; it is a compass. It shows how we can help your organization not just to ‘fix a problem’, but to bundle specialisms and become truly resilient. To move from functioning to flowing.
So, I have a question for you today. Look at your own team. Look at your own life. Are we over-optimized? Do we have enough insects, but not enough humans?
I’d love to know what you think. Let’s drink a coffee and explore the big picture together.
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