Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • Gianluca Sartori (9/3/2010)


    Steve Jones - Editor (9/3/2010)


    I'd implement the FK, document my issues, and pull it back out when he complained about performance.

    Well, our argument went a bit far from where it started, so it's not a FK issue any more.

    Now the problem is that I am "unable to collaborate with my co-workers" because I point out the mistakes they make.

    It's "impossible to talk constructively" to me, because I don't accept the other people's opinions.

    My first IT employer 10 years ago sent all the new employees to a "enterprise culture" course. I don't know if this is the right translation, but I'm sure you get what I mean.

    One of the most important things I learned there was the right way to criticize and accept criticism.

    When you find something that you think is wrong, you can't criticize the person, but you always have to criticize the work he did.

    When somebody criticizes your work, you don't have to identify yourself with it. Nobody's calling you idiot, they're just saying you did a mistake.

    When I say that a FK on description cannot be made and is plain wrong, this is what I mean. I'm not calling names.

    And, no, I can't accept other opinions on this. People like Codd and Boyce spent their whole lives on this: don't tell me you can do better than them.

    Aw, crap! Sorry for the rant...

    No apologies required.

    Right way to criticize?

    ... I don't like your idea because under numerous circumstance it will fail. That fact that you're an idiot has nothing to do with why I don't like it. .....

    😛



    Alvin Ramard
    Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

    All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

    For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

  • Isn't it happy hour for you, Gianluca?

    Relax, ultimately you want to be professional, but it's a job. Give you opinion, document, go with the crowd if they want to drive off the road.

  • CirquedeSQLeil (9/3/2010)


    Any that are interested, my UG is having another livemeeting on Sep 9, 2010 @ 6PM PST.

    https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=C7N873&role=attend

    Meeting ID is C7N873 (just in case you need it).

    Thanks Jason. Who's talking about what this time?

    I see our both our groups are having meetings on the same night. Ours is at 6 PM CST.



    Alvin Ramard
    Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

    All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

    For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

  • Steve Jones - Editor (9/3/2010)


    Isn't it happy hour for you, Gianluca?

    Relax, ultimately you want to be professional, but it's a job. Give you opinion, document, go with the crowd if they want to drive off the road.

    Thanks for the advice, Steve. I think I'll buy it.

    If it doesn't work, I'll try with Alvin's formula for criticism...:-P

    ... I don't like your idea because under numerous circumstance it will fail. That fact that you're an idiot has nothing to do with why I don't like it. .....

    ... if I'm sure I'll get fired anyway!!!

    -- Gianluca Sartori

  • Gianluca Sartori (9/3/2010)


    Steve Jones - Editor (9/3/2010)


    Isn't it happy hour for you, Gianluca?

    Relax, ultimately you want to be professional, but it's a job. Give you opinion, document, go with the crowd if they want to drive off the road.

    Thanks for the advice, Steve. I think I'll buy it.

    If it doesn't work, I'll try with Alvin's formula for criticism...:-P

    ... I don't like your idea because under numerous circumstance it will fail. That fact that you're an idiot has nothing to do with why I don't like it. .....

    ... if I'm sure I'll get fired anyway!!!

    I agree with Steve. Things like this are not worth falling on your sword over. As Steve said document your concerns and then do what you are told. Ultimately we all work for somebody and have to do what we are told, if the higher-ups are willing to take the risk that you have explained then you move on. I'd send an email saying, "I think the implementation being requested is not the best way to do this, here's an alternative that I think is better, but I'll do what I'm told."

    Then make sure you save the email.

  • Alvin Ramard (9/3/2010)


    CirquedeSQLeil (9/3/2010)


    Any that are interested, my UG is having another livemeeting on Sep 9, 2010 @ 6PM PST.

    https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=C7N873&role=attend

    Meeting ID is C7N873 (just in case you need it).

    Thanks Jason. Who's talking about what this time?

    I see our both our groups are having meetings on the same night. Ours is at 6 PM CST.

    We have Stacia Misner Speaking. She is a partner with Brent, Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp. Stacia has written a few BI books.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
    Learn Extended Events

  • Jack Corbett (9/3/2010)


    Gianluca Sartori (9/3/2010)


    Steve Jones - Editor (9/3/2010)


    Isn't it happy hour for you, Gianluca?

    Relax, ultimately you want to be professional, but it's a job. Give you opinion, document, go with the crowd if they want to drive off the road.

    Thanks for the advice, Steve. I think I'll buy it.

    If it doesn't work, I'll try with Alvin's formula for criticism...:-P

    ... I don't like your idea because under numerous circumstance it will fail. That fact that you're an idiot has nothing to do with why I don't like it. .....

    ... if I'm sure I'll get fired anyway!!!

    I agree with Steve. Things like this are not worth falling on your sword over. As Steve said document your concerns and then do what you are told. Ultimately we all work for somebody and have to do what we are told, if the higher-ups are willing to take the risk that you have explained then you move on. I'd send an email saying, "I think the implementation being requested is not the best way to do this, here's an alternative that I think is better, but I'll do what I'm told."

    Then make sure you save the email.

    I would add to not save it just on the Company mail server - make sure you have a backup of it. It is nice to have something documenting things like that because managers like that will forget.

    A good skill to have is to know which battles can be won and which won't be won. Pick and choose the battles and use things like this as examples for more battles in the future.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
    Learn Extended Events

  • Gianluca Sartori (9/3/2010)


    Steve Jones - Editor (9/3/2010)


    Isn't it happy hour for you, Gianluca?

    Relax, ultimately you want to be professional, but it's a job. Give you opinion, document, go with the crowd if they want to drive off the road.

    Thanks for the advice, Steve. I think I'll buy it.

    If it doesn't work, I'll try with Alvin's formula for criticism...:-P

    ... I don't like your idea because under numerous circumstance it will fail. That fact that you're an idiot has nothing to do with why I don't like it. .....

    ... if I'm sure I'll get fired anyway!!!

    When you document this, make sure you keep a hard copy: a print out of the email or document. I worked at a company years ago and had this kind of disagreement with a boss. Not this specific thing, but something where I thought a certain course would be disasterous and was unfortunately proven correct. Unfortunately, this boss had access to the email server and went in and deleted the email from me concerning this. Fortunately, I'd bcc'ed his boss, saved a copy on my machine and had a print out. Some people will go to great lengths to blame anyone but themselves.

    --------------------------------------
    When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
    --------------------------------------
    It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
    What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
    You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

  • oops, quoted wrong post.



    Alvin Ramard
    Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

    All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

    For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

  • CirquedeSQLeil (9/3/2010)


    Alvin Ramard (9/3/2010)


    CirquedeSQLeil (9/3/2010)


    Any that are interested, my UG is having another livemeeting on Sep 9, 2010 @ 6PM PST.

    https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=C7N873&role=attend

    Meeting ID is C7N873 (just in case you need it).

    Thanks Jason. Who's talking about what this time?

    I see our both our groups are having meetings on the same night. Ours is at 6 PM CST.

    We have Stacia Misner Speaking. She is a partner with Brent, Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp. Stacia has written a few BI books.

    Hopefully I'll be able to get home early enough to catch part of it. Our meeting will be ending as yours starts.



    Alvin Ramard
    Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

    All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

    For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

  • I mentioned on this thread yesterday a job I had back in 2007 where I had been for 7 years but the company had changed. One of the reasons I left was because of a few disagreements similar with a new boss.

    Gia's dilemna reminded me of it. We were transitioning to a new billing system and I was overwhelmed writting the ETL from the old system for the new one.

    My boss wanted me to stop the important, critical to our business task I was working on, and put our corporate wireless router on our private network without even wep completely bypassing our corporate firewalls.

    That was the same day that the new job offer came. I politely put in my 2 weeks notice and did what the boss wanted. I was able to focus enough during the last 2 weeks and finish the critical ETL project. I worked after hours with them for an additional few weeks and helped them transition to their new billing system. It was much easier working with that Idiot of a boss as a contractor rather than his slave.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    Use Full Links:
    KB Article from Microsoft on how to ask a question on a Forum

  • It was much easier working with that Idiot of a boss as a contractor rather than his slave.

    Your comment makes me wonder about the difference of viewpoint between being an employee and a contractor and if so, to which side is the viewpoint weighted. Does being a contractor give you extra leverage (there are plenty of contracts out there, I don't need to take your BS!) or does the boss have the extra leverage? (you're just a contractor, I can find another contractor who won't give me such difficulties!)

    Just as there are good and bad managers, I'm sure both instances above exist. I'm just curious as to whether one is more prevalent than the other. Might be an idea for an editorial or blog post. 😉

    -- Kit

  • Kit, are you and Gus near Tampa? I heard Jonathan Kehayias was looking for a DBA, paying well.

  • Kit G (9/3/2010)


    It was much easier working with that Idiot of a boss as a contractor rather than his slave.

    Your comment makes me wonder about the difference of viewpoint between being an employee and a contractor and if so, to which side is the viewpoint weighted. Does being a contractor give you extra leverage (there are plenty of contracts out there, I don't need to take your BS!) or does the boss have the extra leverage? (you're just a contractor, I can find another contractor who won't give me such difficulties!)

    Just as there are good and bad managers, I'm sure both instances above exist. I'm just curious as to whether one is more prevalent than the other. Might be an idea for an editorial or blog post. 😉

    Usually, it comes down to "I'm hourly as a contractor. Are you sure you want me to spend my billable time doing that? Do you really want me working 60 hours this week?"

    And beyond that, if they want you to do something really stupid it is much easier to create a document that says "Here's why you shouldn't do that" and when they insist you're not as much in fear over who'll get blamed because you're used to getting new jobs and are probably already looking at that point.

    --------------------------------------
    When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
    --------------------------------------
    It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
    What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
    You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

  • 7.4 magnitude quake hits New Zealand (Christchurch, Sth Island) http://on.cnn.com/d3tTtl

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