In any construction project, all of the technical experts work hard in their own areas of specialty. But without a generalist who can see the big picture, coordinate the various technical aspects, and keep everyone focused on the needs of the owner and end user, sometimes the entire project suffers....
A strong project manager is a value-added professional—someone who bring skills other than technical expertise to the table. One of those skills is the ability to recognize which of many factors is the real priority in a given situation....
Outstanding project managers in any venue—construction, IT, engineering, or everyday life—have skills beyond technical expertise....
When you’re taking a generalist approach, it’s helpful to use decision-making tools to support a thought process that results in successful outcomes. One important tool is the Three Bears test....
Recently I was struck by the fact that the 2010 movie The King’s Speech includes several themes relevant to generalism.
The Academy Award-winning film is based on actual events in the lives of King George VI and an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. The future king (at that time known as Prince Albert, Duke of York) turns to Logue as his last hope in overcoming a severe stammer. The rest of the movie shows both the progress of the therapy and the development of the two men’s friendship over the course of several years....
From the very beginning of our lives, we are told to specialize. We ask children, “What is your favorite color?” “What is your favorite class?” and of course, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” As we get older, it seems choices are increasingly narrow....
From the very beginning of my career, I found myself in situations where I had to learn about complex, highly technical issues and explain them to others. For instance, in my role as a liaison for the US Department of Energy, I educated government officials and others about policies related to the transportation and storage of nuclear waste....
A number of years ago I designed and built a new home for myself. I was working with an architect who had a good reputation in the community and was proud of it.
At one point, the architect asked me about the wall separating the great room from the bedroom wing. Did I want 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch drywall installed, and did I want it screwed or nailed? My stomach lurched—a familiar sign that I had no idea what he was talking about.
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