What is the difference between Specialist & Generalist(manager)?

Hi Gia Bui, thank you for the very interesting & useful question for all of us. 

The terms specialist & generalist are often used to indicate how "deep" or "wide" is the level of one's expertise. Few people have the ability to go both deep & wide at the same time. 

In medicine, generalist doctors (those you find at the phong kham)  have a good understanding of all common sicknesses but will need to refer you to a specialist if there is a more serious sickness. 

In HR, generalists are those who have an understanding of the common HR functions like payroll, compensation & benefits, HR laws & training. These people can be good connectors between HR & other departments. A HR specialist is one who has chosen a specific area, example learning & development, & focused on being an expert in that area. 

Interestingly, even in the animal kingdom, there are generalists & specialists. See this article. The generalist species can adapt to environments & diets more easily than specialist species. 

That said, being generalist or specialist is not better or worst in Vietnam or anywhere in the world. It depends on your strengths, passion & the path you believe is how you can contribute best. 

So it comes down to you understanding yourself & to discover what is the best way you can contribute. That will ensure your success in whatever field you are in. 

One last thought about being a manager. Should a manager be a specialist or generalist? A manager should definitely learn to be a specialist in managing. A manager who manages poorly is not very useful to anyone. In terms of knowledge, the manager can still be a specialist in a particular area but would definitely benefit greatly by being a generalist of all the responsibilities of his/her team. 

Hope this helps. Enjoy yourself as you figure this out for your leadership journey. 

Warmly,
Paul