I have been meaning to write this for a while, but i wanted to wait for a break in SQLDrama. (i.e. NomCom elections, PASS Summit Selections, Patrick’s Ego being but away for good and other important events).

I have notices a swell in the SQL Community in the last few years and it’s fills me with tremendous pride to be a part of such a brother and sisterhood of folks who are so focused on growing each other, themselves, and the products the use every day.  I love the fact that we can constructively help each other from things like the best backup strategy to running a SQL Saturday better every year.

There are some folks who do a great job of constructively analyzing an event or community function. Andy Warren is a good example. In recent past though, I have seen folks post things that really show their true colors. This includes posts like:

- Ridiculing interview candidates by posting questions and answers on the web

- Ranting on things like food vendor selection in reviews of an event where food was provided to the attendees

- Talking with other speakers in the hallway about how dumb a particular MVP is since he/she didn’t know the answer to a particular question

- People may not have heard of you – Don’t pout.

We are all guilty of making assumptions about others and about ourselves. All the kidding aside we know as a community that we try very hard to lift each other up and improve ourselves at the same time. We speak, we blog, we tweet, we #SQLHelp, etc.. but all of that is for not if we don’t remember a few important life lessons

1. That the person who didn’t know the right interview answer needs help and a better mentor, not a finger pointed at him/her. Don’t get me wrong there are bad interviewees that won’t be a fit for anyone until they change their attitude, but ridicule does not push the right agenda.

2. Food choice is the smallest consideration for a blogger when helping the leadership of a chapter put a good spin/lesson learned together for their Event.

3. MVP’s are people with skillsets like the rest of us. I’m pretty sure a powershell expert could stump even Paul Randal if he went deep enough since Paul probably doesn’t spend his days writing powershell. When I need a tough problem answered that is outside of my knowledge set, I have people I reach out to. Now I’m not an MVP but I’m pretty sure they go through the same thing.

4. I have noticed some folks pouting at events where they are not more widely recognized. Nothing to say here, Man up please.. It’s not about you!!!!

Remember that we should sit in support, never in judgment. Even folks at PASS are volunteers doing what they think is right. I don’t believe anyone wakes up and decides to screw the world with their decision making. So next time you hear someone bad mouthing someone else, talking negatively about an event and not being constructive, or in general not being supportive of the individuals that make  up the community. Slap them in the mouth. Me included if you catch me on a bad day ..

The community is nothing more than the individuals committed to it, so we need to keep helping each other recommit and bring others in, not push them away. We don’t need anyone else pushing Access ..

See you soon! – Adam – @Adam_Jorgensen