One of my friends is a dentist improves people’s smiles and self confidence.
My father taught high school kids for over 30 years and influenced thousands of kids for the better.
My mother-in-law was an advocate for people with disabilities and improved many lives over many years.
Another friend counsels high-risk youth and saves lives.
My grandmother taught 2nd graders how to read and write.
I manage a group of technicians who help the world’s largest and richest software company sell more software and become even richer.
*sigh*
Nordquist Blog 
Ok, I hate to point out the obvious, but you “manage a group of technicians who help the world’s largest and richest software company sell more software and become even richer” so that you can be more than a teacher or counselor to the four beautiful people i’m looking at top right of this blog.
What you do is, to them, more important than teaching.
Besides, dentists are evil.
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Taylor, that’s good point. What I do is certainly good for my family.
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In addition to Taylor’s point above, you also have an opportunity to provide avenues for personal growth and individual success for these technicians. When I was in a management role I took it as a duty to be true to those reporting to me and assist them with their careers. Think of the where many of these individuals start out in that organization and how a good deal of them end up. You can have that direct impact on peoples lives and that is a big thing.
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You make all your Twitter followers smile on a daily basis. You have brightened a dreary day for me more than once. That shouldn’t be discounted.
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Now where would those techies be without you? Having soda pop olympics? Those boys need you! They’ve got families to provide for! Technicians count in the big picture of who you influence in life.
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I am not sure what you sell or support. But what if said software company created software that benefitted and improved the lives of millions (heck billions) of people worldwide? Or enabled more technology advancements and innovations than any other company in history? And you have a role in making that a reality? Would you feel differently then?
Maybe your scope is narrow, but to insinuate that the world’s richest software company hasn’t had an unimaginable impact on all our lives (for the better), and that what you list above are better examples of improving people’s lives, is to me a little short sited.
Yes I too work the company in question. It will therefore be assumed I am bias. Doesn’t change my point.
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Edna: Good points. The work I do with my group of techs is enjoyable and rewarding. I shouldn’t forget that.
Brandon: It’s sometimes easier to look at the frustrations software has introduced into life but you make a valid argument in that software has also helped a lot of people and enabled them to do things they otherwise could not accomplish.
It’s hard for me to imagine this business is as rewarding as teaching or those professions where I could see the impact it has on people’s lives. Software lacks that direct people connection other jobs have. Helping a child in school seems vastly more important to me than adding a few more features to a software program regardless of how it helps someone down the road. And from my experience, I don’t hear a lot of “How could this new product help our users?” rather I hear, “How can we increase our market share and drive revenue growth?”. Compare that to, “How can I help this child read?”
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It certainly can be hard to see the impact we have on peoples lives overall. What I do each day certainly doesn’t give me the instant reward of seeing a light go on in a child’s eyes – I am too far removed from that. But what I do work on empowers teachers and students to learn in ways that we as kids never even imagined. Information and technology is at their fingertips and virtually instantaneous. The opportunities available to kids (and everyone) because of my work is simply mind blowing. That, for me, is rewarding. Yet it can be hard to realize at times and easily clouded by the “greed” side of business in general.
I won’t deny that technology has in some ways eroded some of the “human” contact we used to have. Now days everything is computerized and automated – it can be very numbing. I also in no way want to take away from so many that do work directly with people in an impactful way. Their work is special and invaluable.
BTW, we should do lunch sometime when I get back from my month off.
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I have Bell’s Palsy and enjoy your blog very much. First time I’ve commented, but have been reading here and there.
Great blog. I enjoy reading it every chance I get and value your opinions!
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