The bio that is on my GitHub and Sessionize profiles (amongst others) includes the following sentence:

"I have a passion for continual learning and improving quality, and enjoy being in and creating environments where these happen."

This isn't just a throw-away line. I really do like being in that kind of place, but let's dig a bit deeper:

  • I want to have a positive impact, leave things better than I found them.
  • Looks for ways to keep my skills current by learning from others and sharing what I've learned. Always be looking for better ways of doing things.
  • Be around people that challenge me - people with diverse opinions, experiences, ages, backgrounds.
  • Aiming to do things sustainably - trying to find the right balance between work and non-work.
  • Speak up for those that can't (or don't feel they are able to) speak for themselves. Looking for ways to use my position and privileges to lift others up.
  • Have a laugh. If you've ever had anything to do with me, you'll almost certainly have experienced my sense of humour!

These could be at work, at a user group, at a conference, in an online meeting, or a virtual community.

Do I do these things all the time? No, sadly not!

These are aspirational - they're the things I'm aiming for. I'm not perfect, and I fail a lot. I hope I learn from my mistakes, and I hoping I'm heading in the right direction.