Is What You Do Art or Science? (or Both?)

I like to think all of our jobs are a combination of art and science. The “Art” part is getting more artistic and the “Science” part is getting more scientific.

The science part is easier to explain. We are becoming more expert at mapping and improving the processes of our work, and using more sophisticated analytics to diagnose problems and identify opportunities. We squeeze out the waste, juice up the productivity, shave the costs and boost the revenues. The bar keeps getting raised and we keep figuring out ways to hurdle it.

The richer analytics, in particular, help us understand not only what has happened but also give us better insight into what will happen. We figure out how to create opportunities in emerging markets. Innovation moves from being a luxury to becoming a critical success factor for competitive advantage.

We can analyze and engineer the processes to death but we can’t manufacture the creative spark that’s at the heart of innovation. Similarly, we can’t engineer the ability to connect dots or look at famliar landscapes with fresh eyes.

Innovation, creativity, connecting dots, fresh perspective – mastery of these skills is truly an Art. They can’t be measured but they’re as critical to success.

In the olden days of the 1990’s jobs could pretty easily be divided into two camps: those requiring creative skills and those requiring technical skills. People who held those jobs were either “poets” or “toolies.” Today we’re no longer bound by those arbitrary distinctions; in fact our jobs today demand mastery of both. Depending on your skill set this notion can be liberating or intimidating, but I think it’s part of the new rules for business.