Comments on: All About Nothing http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=all-about-nothing Life, Technology and Everything... Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:38:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Richard http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Richard Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:33:05 +0000 http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/#comment-41 Wow, a bit spooky that, I must have touched a nerve to stimulate such in-depth comments. Interesting as well as I really wasn't sure about the post when I put it up as I thought I may just have been rambling on about a personal gripe. Just goes to show; you can't predict things... Thanks for the comments, it's nice to know others think along similar lines. Wow, a bit spooky that, I must have touched a nerve to stimulate such in-depth comments. Interesting as well as I really wasn’t sure about the post when I put it up as I thought I may just have been rambling on about a personal gripe. Just goes to show; you can’t predict things…

Thanks for the comments, it’s nice to know others think along similar lines.

]]> By: Simon http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Simon Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:08:12 +0000 http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/#comment-39 Great Post Richard, I agree that having a good working knowledge of a number of subjects isn't as valued as it should be. I'm lucky to be in a position at work where being ok at lots of things is a benefit and it gives me the chance to look after projects that cover all sorts of areas. I still get a nagging feeling sometimes that my knowledge in certain areas is less than other people have, but I need to remind myself that they only have that one subject to keep going! Having said that, we try really hard to move people around so that they get experience of lots of different areas and we don't force people to specialize in a particular field. Maybe consultancy firms like ours are the place where the jacks of all trades of the future can be developed :-) I do have some admiration for those who are determined to be the best in their particular field to exclusion of everything else. We definitely need people like that. On the other hand, if everyone was like that, we wouldn't get the cross-fertilization of ideas that is required to push the world forwards. I've always tried to broaden my horizons outside work. I couldn't bear the thought of reading engineering books at home (as lots of my colleagues do). I'd much rather read books on politics, philosophy, psychology, biology and other areas of science and technology. I've found recently that podcasts are a great way to keep in touch with the latest developments in all these areas. I recently posted on my blog about my favourite podcasts (http://www.hancockfamily.org.uk/?p=16). I really need to update this - I've got 38 podcasts on my iTunes list that I regularly listen to. With my commute, lunchtime walks and visits to the gym, I reckon that I have about 17 hours of listening time per week, so I can use that to keep up to date with everything from the US presidential race to the latest farming news. I've always had the same attitude with sport as well. There are quite a few sports I've played in the past and with a fair bit of effort I've always managed to get to the level where I could play in the 1st team of my school, university or local club. Particularly in golf, I knew that, if I concentrated on that alone, I could get a lot better and move up a level. Even though part of me was interested to find out how good I could be, I was never prepared to give up everything else I was interested in. I guess Tiger Woods has a different mindset to me! Great Post Richard,
I agree that having a good working knowledge of a number of subjects isn’t as valued as it should be. I’m lucky to be in a position at work where being ok at lots of things is a benefit and it gives me the chance to look after projects that cover all sorts of areas. I still get a nagging feeling sometimes that my knowledge in certain areas is less than other people have, but I need to remind myself that they only have that one subject to keep going!

Having said that, we try really hard to move people around so that they get experience of lots of different areas and we don’t force people to specialize in a particular field. Maybe consultancy firms like ours are the place where the jacks of all trades of the future can be developed :-)

I do have some admiration for those who are determined to be the best in their particular field to exclusion of everything else. We definitely need people like that. On the other hand, if everyone was like that, we wouldn’t get the cross-fertilization of ideas that is required to push the world forwards.

I’ve always tried to broaden my horizons outside work. I couldn’t bear the thought of reading engineering books at home (as lots of my colleagues do). I’d much rather read books on politics, philosophy, psychology, biology and other areas of science and technology. I’ve found recently that podcasts are a great way to keep in touch with the latest developments in all these areas. I recently posted on my blog about my favourite podcasts (http://www.hancockfamily.org.uk/?p=16). I really need to update this – I’ve got 38 podcasts on my iTunes list that I regularly listen to. With my commute, lunchtime walks and visits to the gym, I reckon that I have about 17 hours of listening time per week, so I can use that to keep up to date with everything from the US presidential race to the latest farming news.

I’ve always had the same attitude with sport as well. There are quite a few sports I’ve played in the past and with a fair bit of effort I’ve always managed to get to the level where I could play in the 1st team of my school, university or local club. Particularly in golf, I knew that, if I concentrated on that alone, I could get a lot better and move up a level. Even though part of me was interested to find out how good I could be, I was never prepared to give up everything else I was interested in.

I guess Tiger Woods has a different mindset to me!

]]> By: JOHN http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/comment-page-1/#comment-38 JOHN Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:02:34 +0000 http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/#comment-38 Richard, you are right on target with this one. When I studied for my MBA at Cranfield many decades ago, the aim of the programme was to make us all reasonably competent in all the critical business disciplines as well as specialists in a few areas. The idea is great, Harvard invented the concept (or at least made it a winner). However, upon graduation almost every prospective employer immediately checked what you did BC (before Cranfield), then when we were hired, they stuck most of us back into our old slots. End result, most of us got frustrated and more disatisfied than BC! It was even worse for graduates who came on company sponsored schemes - they really got stuck back in the old rut! Leonardo rules! John Richard, you are right on target with this one. When I studied for my MBA at Cranfield many decades ago, the aim of the programme was to make us all reasonably competent in all the critical business disciplines as well as specialists in a few areas. The idea is great, Harvard invented the concept (or at least made it a winner). However, upon graduation almost every prospective employer immediately checked what you did BC (before Cranfield), then when we were hired, they stuck most of us back into our old slots. End result, most of us got frustrated and more disatisfied than BC! It was even worse for graduates who came on company sponsored schemes – they really got stuck back in the old rut!

Leonardo rules!

John

]]> By: Eddie, http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Eddie, Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:11:30 +0000 http://www.richardfarrar.com/all-about-nothing/#comment-37 Interesting point, I had a similar view at university, i noticed that if i applied myself 99% to the task in had i could earn a relative grade of around 80%+. Conversely, if i followed other (innovative or otherwise) pursuits and devoted a mere 20% of my efforts to a university project i could average grades of around 60%. which i think we can agree is a much better return on an investment. Perhaps ive missed the point. I believe that a specialisation is something we can discover as we get older, but there is no place or need for it in a developing mind. in that respect, those that do seek to gain the most depth from one particular area of interest are either obsessive to the point of insanity or well balanced individuals who simply fill their own little niche in the grand scheme of things. The monkey and the giraffe. -Hope all is well on the western front! EDC Interesting point,
I had a similar view at university, i noticed that if i applied myself 99% to the task in had i could earn a relative grade of around 80%+. Conversely, if i followed other (innovative or otherwise) pursuits and devoted a mere 20% of my efforts to a university project i could average grades of around 60%. which i think we can agree is a much better return on an investment.

Perhaps ive missed the point.

I believe that a specialisation is something we can discover as we get older, but there is no place or need for it in a developing mind.
in that respect, those that do seek to gain the most depth from one particular area of interest are either obsessive to the point of insanity or well balanced individuals who simply fill their own little niche in the grand scheme of things.

The monkey and the giraffe.

-Hope all is well on the western front!
EDC

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