Overspecialization breeds weakness. It's a slow death.
The first time I heard that phrase, I was confused but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. If you are too predictable, you will be at a disadvantage. This is true in our everyday lives, but more so in business.
With every wrong decision, your competitor can sweep in and take your piece of the pie.Most established businesses share the same predictable flaw. Every business wants the ivy league graduate, and few want those without prestige.
Most people think the ivy league graduate will outsmart, outwork and outhustle the person without the same credentials.
But that's a mistake. There are always more ways to view a situation.
More businesses should hire the outsider. The hardworking person without a degree. The person who had to figure out how to live. For that person knows how to survive.
If you have too many of the same viewpoints, you leave yourself open to blindsides. To have a strong business, you need people from all backgrounds, ages, genders, and sexes. You need viewpoints from every angle, so you're not caught off guard.
It is a mistake to assume people lack the capabilities to achieve greatness because of their educational background.
In Ghost in the Shell, a 1995 Japanese Anime, Motoko Kusanagi, said, "What's true for the group is also true for the individual." You reflect the type of business you are creating, and you have the power to expand beyond overspecialized boundaries.