Is it better to specialize in a single Workday module or cover multiple modules? That’s the age-old question Christian and I tackled in our latest Workday Gold podcast episode. This isn’t just a theoretical debate, it’s personal. I’ve lived both paths, and I’ve coached others through it.

Early in my career, I realized something: building new things gives me energy, but maintaining them doesn’t. That insight shaped everything. Over time, I leaned toward being a generalist, someone who can connect the dots, prototype solutions, and then bring in the right experts to take things deeper. That kind of broad knowledge has been incredibly valuable, especially in smaller organizations or complex consulting projects where problems don’t neatly fit into one module.

Christian, on the other hand, is still figuring out where he fits. He’s drawn to the creativity and design thinking that come with generalist work, but like many, he feels the allure of being a recognized specialist. We explored that tension together, especially in light of AI’s rapid evolution.

AI might actually tilt the scale in favor of generalists. Why? Because it removes some of the technical barriers that previously required deep expertise. Tools are emerging that let you delegate tasks to AI “agents,” which means your ability to orchestrate a solution across tools and technologies becomes just as valuable, maybe more, than doing it all yourself.

But don’t misread that. The specialists aren’t going away. In fact, Christian made a great point: when an AI finishes a task, who confirms it was done correctly? We’ll still need experienced specialists to validate, guide, and fine-tune.

We also discussed how your environment plays a crucial role. Smaller companies require generalists. Larger ones carve roles into deep niches. And beyond company size, there’s also company stage. Early-stage organizations need scrappy problem solvers who will do it all. Mature ones need experts to scale operations and fine-tune execution.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about which is better. It’s about which is better for you — your wiring, your energy, your season of life. And in the Workday ecosystem, you don’t have to pick one forever. That’s the beauty. You can pivot. And with AI shifting the landscape under our feet, staying flexible might just be the most crucial skill of all.