I was speaking with one of my favorite people in the SQL Server community, Grant Fritchey (blog|twitter), on twitter today. I mentioned a blog post of his that I frequently reference. Cargo Cult Data Professionals. It’s a great post and explains a lot of problems you’ll see in IT, I highly recommend it. Regardless, he mentioned that he’d pulled that idea from someone else and made the interesting comment. “It’s why I love this community. A rising tide and all that.”

It’s something I’ve thought about, and discussed with any number of people over time. It’s one of the things I love about this community. So what does it mean?

We lift each other up.

I learn something, I share it with those around me and others in the community. This means that they now know more. They then share what they learn with me, making better. Honestly this gif probably sums it up best.

I’ve always loved the idea of lifting everyone around me up to my level. Not that I’m anything special, but that everyone has a set of knowledge that is special to them. If we all share our knowledge bases with each other then everyone’s base gets broader and higher and we can lift ourselves (and each other) even higher. I pull you up to my level, then push you higher. Now it’s your turn to pull me up behind you.

I should point out here that it doesn’t matter how skilled you are right now. Everyone starts right at the bottom with absolutely no knowledge and works there way up. Even someone right at the beginning may have some piece of knowledge that a long term expert doesn’t. I frequently go to beginners sessions in SQL Server and frequently learn some tidbit or another that I wasn’t aware of before.

All of that said, blog, speak, answer questions on a forum or on twitter. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, then read, and listen. It all helps, no matter how small it may seem to you.