On a regular basis I see most of the community here at SQLServerCentral trying to help other SQL Server professionals out with advice, ideas, and code to assist them in solving problems. The product is so wide, and the issues so varied, that I'm sure most of us have had to ask a question or two at times and look for help from others.
Most of the time I get the sense that a particular person is just unaware of how to solve a small problem and some hints, sample code, or suggestions on what to try will help them solve a problem. However there are times that it seems that someone is way out of their league. I don't want to specifically cite a thread, but I have seen a few posts that were asking for help with a large problem, such as how to set up a high availability solution for their servers.
However it seems that quite often posters want a quicker solution. They want to make a decision based on someone typing an answer for 10 minutes in a forum. There can be a lot of resistance to seeking professional help.
Is this because of a lack of budget? Possibly, but if you have a system that will cost thousands of dollars, or is slowing your work, can't you easily justify a day or two of consulting help to your company? In terms of lost time, it's a cheap win if you can solve some problems. I'm not sure a consultant will solve your problems in a day or two, but they'll point you in the right direction, and that is often still worth the investment.
I think there are lots of employees that are afraid of admitting ignorance to management about the job they were assigned. They want to be able to solve the problem themselves. I understand that sentiment, but I think part of maturing in your career, and being a professional, is recognizing when you are out of your area of expertise. If you have no idea, and no experience, and don’t understand something that is valuable to your company, you ought to admit that you need help.
It's not a sign of weakness, nor of incompetence. It's merely ignorance, and asking for help is a good way to reduce the number of things you don't understand.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
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