Understanding your tools in detail is a great way to differentiate yourelf. I make it a point to understand my working subject matter in great detail. At one po

Understanding your tools in detail is a great way to differentiate yourelf. I make it a point to understand my working subject matter in great detail. At one point in my career, I did a lot of telecom consulting. Work ranged from voice network design all the way down to troubleshooting. I could have done my job by simply being a "phone ringer" (someone who just calls someone else to solve problems), but I found that by understanding the technologies in detail, I could discern fact from fiction when dealing with third-parties. This made me extremely valuable to my clients. I don't think I worked with a company that didn't float me a job offer at some point. Bottom line: Understanding your tools in depth allows you to differentiate outcomes that will be opaque to less knowledgable competitors.