“JACK OF ALL TRADES”
September 1, 2022 2023-09-18 21:17
“JACK OF ALL TRADES”
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “jack of all trades”? Is it a compliment or an insult to you? “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” the original and complete phrase says. When used in this manner, we can see that it is a compliment rather than an insult, as it is commonly used today. This is because it refers to someone who knows a little bit about a lot of things and can put that knowledge to good use.
This reminds me of one of my teenage daughters, who appears to be unsure about what to study at university. This is because she is very skilled and multitalented in many areas, including cooking, baking, drawing, dancing, acting, singing, knitting, and debates, to name a few. While I see this as a blessing, she sees it as a source of confusion.
Shakespeare was originally described as a jack of all trades because, as a playwright, he could be found hanging around the theatre and participating in all aspects of theatre life, including stage work, costumes, line rehearsal, and directing. He could stand in for anyone and play any role, which is why he was known as a Jack of all trades, master of none, but frequently better than a master of one.
Being a jack of all trades is extremely beneficial, especially for an entrepreneur who is starting a new business venture from scratch.
An entrepreneur who has worked in various capacities at various organizations and has some experience as a cleaner, a salesperson, a marketer, an account clerk, and possibly worked in the human resource department of one of the organizations will undoubtedly fare better than someone who focuses on only one occupation and wishes to become an entrepreneur. Whereas the latter may require a lot of resources to get started because he needs to hire professionals in various fields, from sales people to supervisors who will assist in the daily running of the business from the ground up, the former is able to take off with little resources and little assistance, maybe a few people while he acts as the supervisor and the owner of the business, he is able to wear numerous caps and fill into different positions, he is a jack of all trades.
A jack of all trades is a valuable employee to any organization; he is that adaptable, useful, skilled, and inquisitive employee who is willing to help in any capacity. He appears to fit into any position, albeit to a limited capacity or for a limited time. He is the type who can think outside the box.
A jack of all trades does not need to be educated to be resourceful to himself and the organization; he can cope in any climate, and he has learned a lot from being curious and assisting in areas outside of his work requirements.
Cliff Gibson, the founder of New Key Homes, is an example of someone who had no formal education but became extremely resourceful. He admits to having worked in garages, warehouses, finance, purchasing, a property development company, data architecture, and a variety of other fields that may or may not be related. Armed with his various experiences, he was able to build his own house and now runs a growing property development company that he built from the ground up. Like Cliff Gibson, successful public relations consultant Catherine Bolado stated, “You have to keep an eye on what is going on in other areas to provide the best advice for clients. As a former journalist, charity communications specialist, and now public relations professional, I can advise on everything from fundraising to digital strategy.” Catherine Bolado was able to accomplish these great feats and carve out a career for herself as a consultant simply by being a jack of all trades.
One of the characteristics that distinguishes the “Jack of all trades” character is curiosity. He is very curious, eager to learn, and eager to help, and he believes that no knowledge is wasted.
The Jack of all trades personalities excel at learning, they are not afraid of change in any situation, they can think creatively, and they are proactive.
This is the character that Atlantic International University (AIU) hopes to foster through her Open Curriculum style of learning, which allows students to access a vast array of resources from the global environment. These resources help each student learn on their chosen fields as well as other fields of study, making each student a “University of One” and assisting them in adapting to any change they may encounter. Each student is considered unique and unrepeatable, and they are taught to be creative thinkers, resourceful, and valuable members of their communities and wherever they find themselves in the world.
Sources
https://www.aiu.edu/GeneralInformation.html
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Author : Amiakhor Beatrice Ejaeta |
