Master of none?

Having spent their careers surrounded by specialists, generalists often experience ‘imposter syndrome’ and can struggle to see their own value. Generalist Ed, a self-confessed ‘jack of all trades’, explores how changing the way we think about our teams can drive success and make work more rewarding.

Employees in tech companies are often defined (and define themselves) by their specialisms. But is this belief limiting all of us?

Ed believes that it’s equally important to value people’s potential, versatility and their ability to solve new and complex problems. It’s time to acknowledge that the true value of our teams is more than just their deep understanding of a specific technology.

And while specialists are vital in any team, how do we recognise the value generalists bring? How do we combine both approaches to help our teams adapt, innovate and excel to make work more rewarding for all of us?

Thanks for taking the time to consider my talk.

This is a topic that is very close to my heart and I would love to deliver it at your conference. I think that understanding how we build teams and value generalists will help bridge (and hopefully dissolve) the barriers between ‘the business’ and ‘IT’.

In recent years I have become more comfortable as a generalist and started to understand how the value I bring to a team differs from that of a specialist. This is a very personal talk and I would love to share it with your audience.