What Works for the Bottom Does Not Work for the Top

Mark Proctor’s point about the bottom third of the skills pyramid (‘citizen developers’ sic) is correct: most people align with the teachings aimed at this level, which reaches a larger audience. However, for those aspiring to the top, the game, rules, rewards, and paths are entirely different. This distinction is critical, as current messaging—especially on social media—suggests a one-size-fits-all approach, which inherently fails to serve those targeting the pinnacle of Excel expertise.

Key Points:

1. Differentiation of Audiences:
   • Most citizen developers lack the motivation, aptitude, or aspiration to move beyond the foundational level of Excel techniques. Lack of experience means a lack of vision on what could be.
   • However, there is a specific demography—those with ambition to emulate advanced results—that needs a different approach.
2. The Swamp and the Ceiling:
   • The bottom half is constrained by inefficiencies (“the swamp”) and limited scalability (“the ceiling”).
   • Techniques like XLOOKUP and its workarounds address these constraints but only for localized, isolated, small-scale applications.
   • Moving beyond these constraints requires stepping outside conventional methods.
3. Learning Hub-and-Spoke Architecture:
   • Advanced results require adopting scalable, collaborative methodologies such as hub-and-spoke architectures.
   • These methods are not inherently complex but represent a different mindset—one that integrates Excel’s built-in capabilities for collaboration and bi-directional data flow.
4. Current Market Misalignment:
   • Social media and mainstream Excel content do not differentiate between levels of expertise or applications.
   • This creates a perception that Excel’s advanced capabilities cannot solve larger, collaborative problems, which is incorrect.
   • IT and management often misinterpret Excel’s role, citing “Excel Hell” as evidence of its limitations, rather than recognizing the need for the right techniques.
5. Proving the Point with Benchmarking:
   • By using examples like the call handling (REG sic) scenarios, we can demonstrate where mainstream techniques fail.
   • These cases validate the need for scalable, enterprise-level solutions achievable with Excel.
6. Contrasting Messages:
   • While some influencers as well as IT advocates demonize Excel, advanced practitioners can showcase its enterprise capabilities when paired with the right mindset and methodology.
   • The goal is to highlight that both popular techniques and professional solutions have their place but are not universally applicable regardless of context.

Call to Action:

This series aims to show aspiring top-tier professionals the “different way” to Excel mastery. By contrasting mainstream approaches with enterprise-scale methodologies, learners can choose their path—either align with the popular-but-limited techniques or elevate to advanced, scalable practices.

This is about providing clarity: the bottom techniques work for the bottom; to reach the top, you need to think differently. Excel’s untapped capabilities, especially in collaborative contexts, are key to this transition.

REF: XLOOKUP Part 2