February 23, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Here is a topic I would like to get the pulse of the community on.
Do people stick exclusively to projects assigned to them by their management? Or do they have the leeway (and the drive) to pursue some of their own ideas, always within the needs and context of their work environment?
Speaking for myself, I work as a DBA servicing a medium-sized SQL Server shop. My day-to-day work tends to be quite mundane at times. I find that sticking to my appointed workload exclusively would severely limit my professional development. I tend to read a lot of technical material on SQL Server - web-based, magazines, books - and get a lot of ideas that I want to experiment on and implement.
It's a thin rope to walk on, but I always aim to perform my appointed duties properly before venturing into any "pet" projects. Also, I focus on things that I know will benefit our IT team and are quite relevant to my DBA work. Examples include: a deadlock-tracking app that displays recent deadlocks in user-friendly format through Reporting Services (SSRS); and, reporting on the tempdb space utilization using the charting capabilities of SSRS.
Feedback from management has been quite positive so far. I'm wondering if people out there have any similar experiences to share.
Comments, thoughts anyone?
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SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]
February 24, 2008 at 7:17 am
It depended mostly on the managers. Some managers gave me the project and let me decide how to tackle it. Since I was the senior staff and I had approved myself that I could work independently. In most cases I worked with the users or other departments to get the project done. I found it was very fulfilling and I learned a lot working in this way.
However some managers were micro-manager, they did not trust anyone (that my opinion) they wanted to know everything I did. Some even looked at every line of my code. One even gave me a template he wrote that I had to follow, I found it was a complete insult. I sent out my resume the day he gave me the template. One more thing, the template did not work !!!!!!!! He was an arrogant and he thought he knew everything, what a jerk !!!
February 24, 2008 at 9:09 am
A fellow by the name of Napoleon Hill wrote a book called the "Law of Success" way back in the days of Ford, Firestone, Carnegie, and other giants . One of the more powerful laws is called "The habit of doing more than paid for". He pretty well sums up the chapter in the following statements...
"Personally I never received a promotion in my life that I could not trace directly to recognition that I had gained by rendering more service and better service than that for which I was paid. ...the principle applies to the employer or to the professional man or woman just the same as to the employee. ...learn how to apply it to the service we render, to the end that it may yield returns in excess of and out of proportion to the effort put forth." --Napoleon Hill
Yes, I have run into people (especially managers) who have no appreciation for the law in which case I simply move on to the next opportunity. But, the law has worked out quite well for me overall.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
February 25, 2008 at 12:09 am
Nicely said Jeff.
I always go above and beyond what's expected. If I see a problem with a system I make an effort to fix it, or get it fixed. 'Good enought' is never acceptable.
It's an argument I've had with colleagues before. A former collegue had the opinion that doing exactly what he was required to do and no more meant that he was a top class employee and meant he would get big $$$ bonus. I feel that is just average and is what you';re paid for.
If a manager doesn't appreciate or ecourage extra effort, then I don't want to be working for him.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
February 25, 2008 at 6:09 am
Nicely said Gail and Jeff...
Doing a little extra especially when it tends to 1) make your job easier such as in the case of utilities for troubleshooting, etc., and 2) help you learn some advanced skills and techniques is always worthwhile because these skills/education/tools go into your toolbox and can be carried to the next assignment as well as used in the current job...a win-win in my opinion.
As long as you have your 'required' work covered, nobody should be complaining too loudly if you are working on some other things that will help you, which will ultimately help the company. If the boss has a problem with that, then just make sure the boss doesn't know about it. If that is a problem for you (hiding it from the boss), then time to find another position because there are a lot of managers who would love to have employees that go above and beyond what is 'required' especially when the company will benefit in your increased knowledge/experience. Seems like this would a no-brainer for the boss, but some managers have no brain and are not comfortable unless they have us neatly boxed in and can keep a thumb on us (can you say 'insecure? I knew you could!!!).
It goes back to one of my favorite sayings, 'If is wasn't for the stupid people at this company, it would be a great place to work!'.
If it was easy, everybody would be doing it!;)
February 25, 2008 at 8:26 am
Marios,
What do you consider "a medium-sized SQL Server shop" to be? "DBAs" can wear an awful lot of hats. Are you the sole DBA? Are you working exclusively with SQL Server, and if so, are all your databases on the same version of SQL Server? Do you also have server-related duties? Do you also write reports for your organization? These answers will be different for each person posting to this forum.
I view "Pet Projects" as opportunities to bring proof-of-concepts to life, or to make things more efficient for myself or others in the company. It can be quite challenging to get management's attention, and then get the recognition of the value added benefits of successful "Pet Projects".
My 2 cents,
"Key"
MCITP: DBA, MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, OCP
February 25, 2008 at 10:52 am
Damon Wilson (2/25/2008)
Marios,What do you consider "a medium-sized SQL Server shop" to be? "DBAs" can wear an awful lot of hats. Are you the sole DBA? Are you working exclusively with SQL Server, and if so, are all your databases on the same version of SQL Server? Do you also have server-related duties? Do you also write reports for your organization? These answers will be different for each person posting to this forum.
I view "Pet Projects" as opportunities to bring proof-of-concepts to life, or to make things more efficient for myself or others in the company. It can be quite challenging to get management's attention, and then get the recognition of the value added benefits of successful "Pet Projects".
My 2 cents,
I'm one of several DBAs managing < 200 databases spread across about 20 production servers. We have a mix of sql 2000 and sql 2005 environments. We don't have server-related (OS, hardware) duties. Ours is primarily a servicing role: it includes running business code in production (patches etc), working with users in troubleshooting issues such as SQL-job failures, and generally, ensuring our production systems are up and running smoothly. Many of these tasks, while each important in its own right, require a minimum degree of expertise with SQL Server.
I view "pet projects" the same as you with 2 added advantages:
(i) they raise my confidence and market value as a professional, regardless of the actual response from management (which has been positive in my case);
(ii) they make for a more interesting and rewarding work experience.
__________________________________________________________________________________
SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]
February 25, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I always put in more than 100% at work. In one company, the manager promoted a programmer with less experience to be senior programmer. When I asked the reason why I was not chosen since I had more experience, the manager said it was because I had a child and I could not stay after five and it was the CIO's idea. Was that so important that I can stay after five? What about the time I came to work on weekend? The CEO would not let anyone do his report except me. The president insisted I was on the development team to build the new system. But those were not important. Until I submitted my resignation letter, then the manager decided to promote me, too late!!! The President came to say good bye. I found out the CIO was let go six months after I left.
Another company I put in a reporting system. It was built in such a dynamic way if the user decided to put in a new report, the developer just needed to put in an entry in table. It did not need to change any table, any DTS package or any job. Also I created the DTS package so when it moved from development system to QA to production, the DBA did not need to open it up and changed the connection. Did anyone care? Not my manager, not the DBA, no one. I put in 60 hours a week to work on that system. I resigned and then my manager refused to take my letter. Finally he took my letter but did not tell anyone. My friend went to talk to him and he told my friend to keep quiet. He was hoping I would change my mind. My friend said my manager was in a denial mode just liked someone dies.
In some cases, some managers did not even care when people left. My last manager said he could always hire someone, even he had many bad experiences with bad developers. Even I worked when I had pneumonia, he did not care. The HR manager told me I was stupid to work when I had pneumonia. I did not want to work when I had pneumonia, they called me at home and said the customers needed it badly and I was the only one could do it. So I did. No one recognized my effort. But when I made a personal phone call to my Mom one morning using my own cell phone because of some important thing. I was reported to my manager that I used business hour to do personal thing. No one can make a phone call during business hour? So I cannot make a doctor appointment, dentist appointment ? What about something wrong with my kid and the school calls me, I cannot take the call???
I did not regret I put in 110% at work because I also learned a lot. Even no one recognized me, that is ok too. However in most cases, people start complaining little things, try to compete with you and try to hide their work and their skills. One time I wanted to learn a reporting too called Actuate report. I asked a developer show me the administrative portion and he refused. I did not want his job!
February 27, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I attribute my success in this business to taking on additional projects and learning opportunities, both on the job and off. If I had just done my assigned work, I would still be an 8-to-5 PC technician.
Tim Mitchell
TimMitchell.net | @tmitch.net | Tyleris.com
ETL Best Practices
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