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Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World - Coggle Diagram
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
The Cult of the Head Start
Programs are raising kids to be specialised from young age e.g. chess kids case study
super computers doing tactics vs humans doing strategy, maximise efficiency
big picture problems which require insight in many fields still best solved by humans
How the Wicked World Was Made
Abstract thinking has really developed in the last generation
We now autmotically think in terms of classification schemes
Uni's only train core competencies in their field, NOT critical thinking skills e.g. Fermi's problem solving skills
Critical thinking to take knowledge from one field and apply it elsewhere is gold
Intro: Roger vs. Tiger
Roger's broad path much more common amongst the elite
Overspecialisation can hurt an organisation when competing interests pull down the overall goal
The most effective learning does look slow, inefficient at the time.
When Less of the Same Is More
Venetian music success born from charity houses which took in orphans - Pieta ,a ospedali. Developed world level skills.
Sampling, testing different skills/fields helped them have range and then develop their abilities
Learning, Fast and Slow
Learning by memorising procedure rather than making connections is bad for long term learning
Spaced repition and interlaced learning is good for long term
Deep learning is categorised by learning slowly
Thinking Outside Experience
Using analogies to understand difficult problems and learn new knowledge e.g. Kepler discovering astrophysics by trying to understand motion of celestial objects
Inside view - idea that having more detail, but limited info, about a problem causes you to miscalculate solutions
Outside view - taking the problem and applying a range of analogies/filters/scenarios before developing a solution leading to more innovative and accurate answers e.g. BCG catalouge
Most successful research labs had people from broad backgrounds enabling use of analogies when problem solving. Diverse teams may be key to good results and difficult problem solving.
The Trouble with Too Much Grit
Vincent Van Gogh story, how he jumped around trying to find his purpose but not succeeding at his various jobs. Found his style at the end, painting, but died young. Became the most famous artist ever despite this life long journey of failed jobs.
Winston Churchill's saying of keep going keep going only applies to things worth doing, after review of the pursuit
Matching ones skills and affinities is key, after sampling to get the information that helps inform a match
Flirting with Your Possible Selves
Try and learn > Decide and plan
Give more opportunity for match quality
The Outsider Advantage
Solved problems or creative ideas often come from outside local domain experts - using knowledge from other experiences
Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology
Nintendo innovations came from using knowledge and available resources despite not being the cutting edge of technology
The frontier of knowledge often leaves areas of knowledge which haven't been well utilized and represent opportunities
Fooled by Expertise
Experts in fields are terrible at future predictions if they are hedgehods
'foxes' - have range in domains and are much better at predictions. Teams of foxes lead to super teams in solving problems.
Learning to Drop Your Familiar Tools
Idea of spending a day a week experimenting outside normal domain e.g. Friday night or sat morning
Deliberate Amateurs
Amateur has roots in being curious in many endeavours
Cross-discipline breadth is key to new discoveries > cultivate this
The interface is worth defending, leads to great work and outcomes.