Change is Good!

**CAUTION** Rated R for language. But I'm sorry, the language is what makes it in this case... so I HAVE to share it!...

I was reading through some of my training/elearning RSS feeds and stumbled onto a link to an amazing video (see end of post) from zefrank. I've been following him on and off for years because of his quirky creativity. Thanks to Ray Jimenez for relating this to what a true SME (Subject Matter Expert) is. As Ray states "the new SME is the person who contributes "how I did it" and "what it means to me" - the real stuff that we care about".

Early this year, my position was changed from Training Coordinator within the IT Department here at the Library System to the Training & Development Coordinator in charge of the Training & Development Department. It has been a huge and wonderful, yet at times quite scary change. I no longer have the buffer of a management layer to protect me. Success or failure is on me for the Department.

In that vain, I am trying to get together a Training Advisory Group (TAG) to help this Department to become the best it can be. I am definitely NOT the expert. I look around at all of the talent in our member libraries and I see a bunch of amazing SMEs!! I see so many great ideas and programs and ways of learning that it boggles my mind. I would love to see all of that knowledge pooled and developed into a robust way that every member can benefit from. Wish me luck as this is no small task, but a very exciting one. I also don't want to have to have monthly meetings to make this happen. I want to build a virtual community of sharing where we don't have to wait for a meeting to share the expertise and reap the benefits. It's tough when the members don't have an ounce of time to spare for one more project. My challenge is to make this something they cannot do without; to build something they must have in order to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Change IS Good!

So how does this video relate? I'm not a prolific writer, so I don't know how to put it into words exactly... but when I watch this video, it just completely speaks to the change happening in me, in my position, and at my place of work. Don't know why exactly, but it does. It's like looking at a painting and feeling an emotion, and not knowing why...

Here is a transcript of what zefrank is saying. My favorite lines...

"Perfection might look good in his shiny shoes, but he's a little bit of an asshole, and no one invites him to their pool parties."

"There is no need to sharpen my pencils anymore, my pencils are sharp enough. Even the dull ones will make a mark."

"And God, let me enjoy this. Life isn't just a sequence of waiting for things to be done."

All I can say is... Amen. And now, enjoy the video: