Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

  • Evaluating Life at Work

    One of the more interesting things that we do at Redgate is regularly ask workers to evaluate their environment. We use a company, called Thymometrics, and periodically employers as asked to rate various factors, both in terms of how important are they to us, and how satisfied are we. I tweeted the general dashboard, but essentially there are a series of sliders we use to rate things, between a max and min. No scale, just a visual choice of are things more or less important. Am I more of less satisfied.

    The range is factors are here:

    • Work Environment
    • Wellbeing
    • Salary
    • Benefits
    • Culture and Values
    • Giving Something Back
    • Leadership
    • My Manager
    • Personal Growth
    • Recognition
    • Redgate’s Purpose
    • My Team
    • My Role

    When I log in, I can see how I last set things. I can also reset everything to the middle and re-evaluate how I view the world. Usually I look through and see if I want to change my satisfaction. Rarely do I think that some part of my job situation has changed in importance. However, at least once a year I do reset things and start over.

    While I know plenty of people see this as a pain in the sitting part of the body to go through, I appreciate it. This lets me evaluate how I feel about my job situation, and about my company. I get to think for a few minutes about whether I am truly satisfied with my position and how I am treated by this organization.

    This is a somewhat formalized process. I checked with the team that looks at this and they get anonymized rollup of data, unless someone puts in a comment and asks for a reply. Even then, they don’t send the raw data to managers, but attempt to mediate if there are issues. It’s a good idea, and really, this is what I do and recommend for others.

    At least once a year I take a serious look at my employment situation, in conjunction with how my personal life is going and think about what I like and don’t. I think about my other options, and discuss this with my wife. Is this the best way to live my life? So far it has been every year, since I think I have one of the best jobs out there. That doesn’t mean I should assume there aren’t other options or ways that I might want to change my job.

    I think you should do the same thing yourself, at least once a year. Honestly evaluate your situation, ask others about theirs, and make the best decision for you. After all, you only get one chance to go through this life. If it’s not working, plan to make a change.

    Steve Jones

    Listen to the podcast at Libsyn, Stitcher or iTunes.

  • Daily Coping 19 Jun 2020

    I’ve started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to appreciate the joy of nature and the beauty in the world around.

    I’m blessed in that I live closer to nature than most. I live on a horse ranch, with lots of wide open space around. Wildlife regularly passes across my property, and I get to interact with non humans.

    I’m not a horse rider (much), but I appreciate their beauty, grace, and power. I don’t have too many chores anymore, but I have had more during the pandemic. One thing I had to do recently was feed the horses while my wife was out of town.

    This was my view, during lunch one day. A break from the office.

    20200609_150522_HDR

    A breath of fresh air, and an understanding that there is more than technology, airplanes, and my gym.

  • Social: Growing Up with the Dukes of Hazzard

    I grew up in the South. The capital of the Confederacy was a short drive from my house. We studied the Civil War.

    I watched the Dukes on TV, and enjoyed it. Many of my friends did and we laughed, joked, and wanted a car like that. We loved the horn, and when a friend’s Dad got a programmable horn that could play Dixie, we did it over and over.

    I thought many of the people thinking “the South will rise again” or embracing this as history were just showing some pride. I’ve visited the cemeteries of Confederate soldiers, even as an adult, with curiosity and understanding this is part of our history in the US.

    It is, but it’s also a racist icon and one that represents treason to me. We can study history and relegate the item to history, but I don’t think that we should display and celebrate that time. You may be proud that your ancestors stood up for that they believed in, but I’m not sure you should be proud of what they believed in.

    I used to tolerate and not think too deeply about people putting that flag anywhere. As I look at the world, which has both grown and regressed, and not grown, I can’t tolerate that symbol anymore.

    I had friends that embraced it. I also had people out there that physically threatened or assaulted me who proudly displayed it. I’ve had few physical encounters and some were not about race or skin color, but some were. In fact, all of the ones as an adult were.

    The Confederate flag in the US ought to be treated like the Nazi flag in Germany. It’s the symbol of traitors, of racism, and of losers of the Civil War. I can’t believe our military has tolerated this until 2020, but I’m glad they are removing it.

    I am, too.

  • Daily Coping 18 Jun 2020

    I’ve started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to say positive things in your conversation with others today.

    I’m writing this a few days early, but there’s a lot of anger in the world lately. I’ve tried to really project more positivity. Not succeeding as much as I like, but I am trying to move forward, rather than revisit history.

    As I interact with people, I remember that. I have some disagreements with people, but I’ve tried to remember to complement them, and find the good in them. I saw some kids recently that I hadn’t see in a few years. I remembered to ask about their lives and then cheer on their successes. Express sympathy at the struggles (one graduated from high school, with no graduation), but turn this to positive and hope for the future and root for their college experience to start in the fall.

    It’s easy to complain, gripe, and be upset these days. It’s OK, and some of those feelings are acceptable, but remember to celebrate the good things.  There is always Some Good News in the world.