Share the knowledge

photo

 

I am not an expert on the computer and pretty much everything I know is self taught.  I am great (yeah, that's right I'm bragging) at playing around with things or searching the internet until I figure out how to accomplish what I want.  I will never get a job in IT, but I know enough to make myself valuable.  I also get a great amount of joy out of being able to teach others what I know. 

The other day someone asked for my assistance creating a document that would involve clip art and word art and she had limited experience using either one.  It would have been easy to do the job myself and be done with it in a short amount of time, but I chose to teach her how to do it instead.  I helped her get started, showed her how to do a few things and then let her work.  She asked for help several times and it took her half the day to finish the project, but she did it...SHE did it, not me.  Next time a project like this comes up she will know how to do it on her own (or will at the very least ask fewer questions). 

When I first learned about the project I was jealous.  So jealous that I threw a little hissy fit about how life was so unfair because I was (obviously) the best person to complete that project and why did I get stuck with the boring projects?  Yes, I turned into a green jealous monster and you could probably see a third eye trying to poke it's way through my forehead. 

It was not fair of me to complain about someone else's good fortune and so I told myself to grow up and act like an adult.  And so I taught her how to do the project and I did my best to simply teach and not take over. 

With children it's easier to remember that we are supposed to be teaching them.  It's easier to take a step back and guide them through the process because that is our job as adults.  Are we supposed to do this with other adults as well?  A good manager will do this for you, but what about a coworker?   Am I supposed to be a teacher, a guide, a role model for my peers?  Is this my responsibility?  My opinion is yes! 

Some would say that I should have fought for myself.  That I should have stood up and (politely) argued that I was the best person for the job.  I could have done that, and if given the chance I would have amazed them with my creativity, but what I did felt pretty darn amazing.  Getting that project reassigned to me would have made me happy for a little bit, but eventually it would have just been another project I did.  For me, I get more joy out of  knowing that I helped someone else shine.  Projects come and go; some I will get and some will go to others.  Helping someone else find even a small success fills my heart with joy and that is something I am thankful for. 

Sometimes helping others is the best thing we can do for ourselves.