Welcome

Before you read any further there is something I must confess. I am one of those people you might describe as a jack of all trades. It’s not something I wear like a badge of shame though. I stand firmly in the belief that being a generalist is not at all a bad thing.

We live in an increasingly complex world. Any field of human endeavour today certainly requires specialists. I’m happy to have known, collaborated with and enjoyed the company of many people who have dedicated much of their life to a deep understanding of a field they are passionate about. I certainly don’t intend to denigrate those who choose this path – I greatly admire them.

I believe though it’s a mistake to assume that generalists have little to offer or to assume that all polymaths are indulging in mere dilettantism. It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially in the contemporary business world where we increasingly strive for more speed, greater efficiency, and lower costs. I’ve often seen the mindset that is fixated on “if we need product x then we should use person y”. And while it can lead to a more streamlined business, it can equally lead to stagnation.

It’s precisely because of their wide net that generalists can sometimes bring ideas from two different worlds together and fuse them into something new and exciting. It’s also why they may struggle, on their own, to bring those ideas to fruition. Some of the best leaders I’ve worked with have recognised the power of combining those two approaches – enough generalists to bring that possibility of cross-pollination and enough specialists to make the best of those ideas a reality.

So what, you may be wondering, does any of this have to do with a website about learning and games? Well, consider it both a warning and an enticement. If you are looking for expert advice on these subjects, you might want to seek richer pastures elsewhere. If, like me, you enjoy taking a leisurely stroll through the whole landscape of creative and intellectual pursuits and are happy to ditch the map and see where the path leads you, I hope you might find something here that piques your interest.

Happy wanderings,