intelligent …

Okay, so that last post was rather a downer [edit note – was actually thinking of another post on another blog that I posted 2014-09-24, but regardless …]. :-/ Anyway, thought I ought post something more “positive”, … not that I’m specifically aiming posts to be more “positive” or “negative”, or not or any particularly kind of “balance”. More so just they are what they are (at least more-or-less). Anyway, this one is a bit more “positive” … had it in mind for a while to post (mental backlog of a few or more things to post). Anyway …

(Some of) how I’m perceived. First of all, how I often think of and (more-or-less) perceive myself is an interesting mix, much of which is often both conflicting and quite contradictory, yet often views held simultaneously. E.g. “I’m pretty darn average … at least with +- a standard deviation or so.”, and “I’m quite significantly non-average – typically in the 5 to 2% or less at one end of range/scale, or the other, and almost always within one 10% “extreme” end or the other, and not uncommonly down in the small fraction of a percentage point range, at least on many items, anyway.” Be that as it may.

So, … how am I perceived by others? Well, a couple semi-random (okay, maybe cherry picked, … whatever) data points.

Not too long ago (like more recent than my immediately prior post on this blog), bumped into someone I’d not seen in about 15 years. I didn’t recognize the face, but did recognize the (full) name – at least vaguely. The other person recognized and remembered me (at least also along with my first and last name). And that person’s recollections/comments to me about me and our interactions “way back then”? How did that person remember me? At least paraphrasing from memory, the relevant bits, commented upon me as smart/intelligent/bright, and/or word(s) to that effect. Essentially saying that I was bright/intelligent, and (one of the) helpful capable one(s). Anyway, seems the general impression left/recalled, was that I was rather/quite smart, and capable and helpful (so I was top tech talent on that technology in large organization at that time, and working with cutting/leading/bleeding edge technology, and handling it very capably).

Also, in time relatively close to my encountering that person I’d not seen in about 15 years, and likewise not too long ago (like more recent than my immediately prior post on this blog), someone else I’d been interacting with on a project, we met in person for the first time. That person repeatedly expressed to me their being quite impressed with my intelligence (as they stated it), and they also mentioned how impressed they were with how capable I was, and similarly communicated to my “boss” (effectively so) how they were so quite favorably impressed with my work and found me so very helpful. They also commented that approximately 4 years earlier, an entire team had tried to do what I did (and the technology had not significantly changed, and was in fact already in use for over a decade) … that entire team tried to accomplish the needed (technical) goal, and failed, … whereas I, effectively single-handedly, managed to do what that entire team had failed to do.

So, anyway, thought those were “topical”, as I’d received both sets of comments in relatively close proximity of time. Either in isolation I probably would’ve written off as a fluke, but together, … statistical correlation on some meaningful “source” data? Maybe. Whatever.

I’ll mention one other – just because it also occurred in same timeframe (more recent than my immediately prior post on this blog). My “boss” (effectively so) commented, saying (again, paraphrasing from memory, so I may not have the exact wording that was used) that said “boss” thought there was nothing technically that I couldn’t do. Well, … my technical skills in my field of expertise are quite good, but I wouldn’t rate them that highly. There certainly are plenty that know the stuff much, even much much better than I. But in most of the work environments I’ve been in, I’m typically top technical expert for at least most of those matters within whatever team I happen to be in … or if not top, usually within the top 10% within the team (which typically means I’m one of the two at the very top … probably also means I ought find more technically challenging work – but that itself is rather difficult towards the top). But I digress. That technical skill isn’t really “intelligence” or “intelligent”. That’s much more of what I’d mostly just attribute to highly skilled. Not the same thing (though there might happen to be some bits of overlap and/or correlation).

Anyway, just thought that was interesting observation/feedback/perception(s) – of others of me, and happening to also span quite a number of years – so seems relatively consistent. “Perception is 90% of reality”? Uhm, … well, at least for them. That’s their realities, and for them, how I am in it. My reality may be absolutely and completely different.

Some other random bits on perceptions. Those that know me very well (and there are dang few that have walked the planet that would fit that category) have a very different impression of me, than most everyone else. Uhm, … but we’re going to be a “positive” post here? Uh, yeah, okay, whatever, … uhm, … okay, … those that know me very well generally quite like and appreciate me.