Rob Farley

Rob Rob Farley has been consulting in IT since completing a Computer Science degree with first class honours in 1997. Before moving to Adelaide, he worked in consultancies in Melbourne and London. He runs the development department in one of Australia's leading IT firms, as well as doing database application consultancy and training. He heads up the Adelaide SQL Server User Group, and holds several Microsoft certifications.

Rob has been involved with Microsoft technologies for most of his career, but has also done significant work with Oracle and Unix systems. His preferred database is SQL Server and his preferred language is C#. Recently he has been involved with Microsoft Learning in the US, creating and reviewing new content for the next generation of Microsoft exams.

Over the years, Rob's clients have included BP Oil, OneLink Transit, Accenture, Avanade, Australian Electorial Commission, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Royal Borough of Kingston, Help The Aged, Unisys, Department of Treasury and Finance (Vic), National Mutual, the Bible Society and others.

Did you mean to come here? My blog is now at http://msmvps.com/blogs/robfarley



15 September 2006

Helper outerers

Steve Jones from sqlservercentral.com posted an editorial today asking about what you'd get someone to do for you if you could get a helper. He wants a chef/cook to be able to provide regular meals for him.

Personally, I'd like someone in my life to help me keep accountable for all the things that I'd like to do. I would return the favour, and regularly ask them how they're going with achieving stuff. I heard something recently (was it on Hanselminutes?) about the idea of detailing what the next step is for each goal you have. So, the next step in fixing the fence could be counting the number of palings you need to buy, after you've done that, you update the list with the next step. You also have things dated so that you can see the things that you're being slack on.

But of course, this is so much easier if you have someone who will ask you how you're going with it. I will be asking a few people to do this with me, and I hope it helps. I'm not bad at getting things done, but I would like to be better.

And of course, this is probably the type of thing that dailydevelopers.com would like. :)

I think everyone needs a mentor in their life, and everyone needs people in their life who will keep them accountable to the things they want to be held accountable for. Of course, everyone has different things that they're trying to achieve. It might be dieting, quitting smoking, blogging more, keeping track of projects better, etc. But it's so much easier to do with help. Why not work out who you will help with things, and who you will ask for help from?