Jack of all trades, master of none - but is it true?

His defence?

He had covered his face with lemon juice. Since lemon juice can be used as invisible ink, he sincerely believed it would also make his face invisible to cameras.

This absurd case became the perfect illustration of a psychological bias: people with little knowledge tend to overestimate their competence. It’s not stupidity, it’s ignorance of their own ignorance. David Dunning and Justin Kruger turned it into a research paper, and the rest is meme history.

Now, here’s where Facebook comes in.

I saw a thread under one of these memes, and a guy named László chimed in:

“This is especially true for generalists. They know a bit about many areas, superficially, and that’s when the god complex kicks in. Wow, I’m such a genius, I even understand psychology!”

A fair point. But I couldn’t resist replying.

Because while generalists can fall into Dunning–Kruger, they can also escape it faster than specialists. Why? Critical thinking. The ability to zoom out. To cross-check knowledge from one domain against another.

There’s a famous saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Most people stop there. But the full version adds a twist: “… though oftentimes better than master of one.”

That’s the hidden superpower of generalists.

Being a jack of all trades means having the curiosity to explore, the courage to connect different fields, and the adaptability to thrive in change. True mastery often lies not in narrow specialization, but in the ability to see the bigger picture and apply knowledge across domains.

Why Generalists Matter

Specialists dive deep, and we need them. Without deep expertise, planes wouldn’t fly and code wouldn’t compile. But generalists connect the dots across fields. They don’t just see the tree, they notice the whole forest, the soil, the weather, and the ecosystem.

Psychologists call this “far transfer”: taking knowledge from one domain and applying it to another. It’s where many breakthroughs come from. Think of entrepreneurs who combine finance, design, and technology. Or leaders who can talk business, law, and IT security in the same meeting.

I’ve lived this myself. I have no degree in finance, marketing, or law. Yet I’ve negotiated a multi-million euro investment deal, built successful brands like Barion, and even founded a small "bank". I wasn’t the deepest expert in any of those domains. But I had enough breadth to lead specialists, ask the right questions, and keep the big picture in view.

From T-Shaped to M-Shaped Talent

There’s a model for this. You’ve probably seen the “T-shaped” skill profile: one deep vertical bar (your expertise) and one horizontal bar (general knowledge across fields). It’s great, but the modern world often demands more.

Enter the “M-shaped” talent. Imagine multiple vertical peaks. You don’t just go deep in one area, but in several. Maybe you’re a developer who also goes deep in design and business strategy. Or a marketer who also knows data analytics and psychology. Each peak reinforces the others.

This is where generalists shine. They’re not dabblers, they’re pattern matchers, bridge-builders, translators across domains.

The Generalist’s Dunning–Kruger Antidote

Of course, there’s a trap. Broad knowledge without self-awareness can create arrogance. That’s László’s point: the “I know everything” god complex.

The antidote is critical thinking:

• knowing what you don’t know
• recognising when to bring in specialists
• testing ideas against reality
• being willing to be wrong

When a generalist combines breadth with humility, the Dunning–Kruger effect flips into something powerful: confidence without delusion, curiosity without arrogance.

And that, I believe, is where innovation happens.

It’s also going to make one hell of a chapter in my book.