On the road

These past two weeks have been quite an adventure for me. I have been teaching Ellipse 6.3.1.0 system administration to internal Mincom employee's as well as external customers in Denver. My experience teaching and speaking in front of people, plus my laid back nature and the ability to make the class a bit more enjoyable I think has made the classes worthwhile. The feedback I have gotten from my students has been really nice and has made me good about my teaching abilities. I enjoy trying to teach others in ways that aren't overbearing or overly complicated. I want my clients and piers to grasp the key concepts about anything I am doing for them, not just click here and type this. If that was the case, what have they truly learned from me? More than likely nothing, and their company has wasted money to hire me in the first place. Some may want to hoard knowledge and try to build themselves a virtual wall, but not me.

This week I have made several new contacts that realize I know what I am talking about when it comes to system design, performance and maintenance - even outside the world of Ellipse and Mincom. Those types of contacts are invaluable as I move through my career and could help start a long, prosperous relationship for all parties involved.

One thing I learned a long time ago was that it isn't about how much you know or how smart you are - it is about how you treat people that makes them want to use you in the future. No one wants to deal with some egotistical asshole - they want to deal with someone who can help them and be friendly. Too often IT folks think they are just too good to be replaced and can treat people horribly along the way. Unfortunately, that type of attitude gets you absolutely nowhere.