On Being Useful, Part II

Posted by Robert Merrill on September 18, 2008 under Concepts | Read the First Comment

I’m a recovering perfectionist, and it’s not by choice.

I started out a great student, became a pretty good scientist, and was then a good software developer.

Now I’m a software management consultant and aspiring bioinformatician. I don’t have to network much (and I’m a mediocre networker on my good days) to meet people who have better training and more relevant experience than me. On paper, I don’t stand a chance, and sometimes that really gets me down.

Then I remember two things.

First, prospective clients aren’t choosing between me and perfection. They’re choosing between resources they already have, me, and whoever else they know about.

Second, I don’t have to be perfect, or even the best option, in order to be useful. What’s more, I’m more confident of my usefulness to clients than ever, because now no one else is placing me. If I’m not sure I can be useful, I don’t write a proposal. So far, I’ve always been useful. Every time.

If any clients are reading this, please tell me otherwise. But if I did have a client who found me useless, I doubt s/he is reading my blog.