Hi I’m Marie and I’m a seeker of information.
There, I said it. It’s a nice professional way to say that I have a tendency to be curious (read as: nosy) and will not rest until I have Googled something to the point of exhaustion. I seek knowledge, I love helping people find answers to their questions. I adore learning something new and I absolutely enjoy “being the one” that is responsible for FINDING the facts and delivering them.
Selfish, right?
I know I’m not the only one in the world that does this. But I’m one of few in my professional landscape that behaves this way. I’m a Gen-Xer, I grew up with the internet. Heck, I went to a computer magnet school and have been using computers since 1988. I stood by and watched my dad and several family members build CPUs, run DOS mode and teach me basics. When I was 16, America Online was becoming hugely popular. The birth of Google changed my world. If I had a question, I sought the answer myself and didn’t rely on the knowledge of others. This brought me great satisfaction – especially since no one would laugh at me if my question was stupid.
What’s wrong with having the answer?
Known as “The Googler”, the running joke is that someone can’t even get their question fully out before I’m Googling for answers. Or I’ve been known to be “The Human Google” because there is a wealth of facts that are stored inside. I’ve been in the marketing world for well over 20 years – in just about any given position and have the experience to back it up. Each of those twenty some-odd years have positioned me to learn more, do more and become more. Partner that with my being nosey, errr being CURIOUS, and you can imagine the growth situations I’ve experienced. It’s been painful. It’s been glorious. It’s been frustrating.
No one likes a know-it-all.
This has never been my intention. Remember, I love helping, I love being reliable, resourceful and the one someone comes to to solve problems. I have a super-hero complex. (Google it, it’s a thing.) I’m well aware of my struggles and work every day to overcome them. Trust me, there is no shortage of personal coaches, professional development books and programs, and podcasts to help you become the best dang YOU there ever would be.
The issue is in the delivery. It’s critical that there is NEVER an “I’m better than you because I know this.” vibe. Let it be known, that the aforementioned vibe is much different than the “Did you know you have access to Google too? Try using it.”vibe.
Just as I’m reliant on Google, people are reliant on me for data and facts. Which is awesome, because my passion is helping and knowing the answer to whatever problem you may have. It’s taken me the whole dang 20+ years to accept that not everyone has the same passion as me. Not everyone wants to learn more, do more, develop themselves personally and professionally. Not everyone wants to perform at their ultimate potential.
The bottom line is this: There is nothing wrong with knowing things. The best thing to KNOW, is to know when to share and when to shut yer pie-hole. I’ve learned that it’s not the fact that I know the answer, it’s how the answer is delivered that matters.
