I Suck At Work

I suck at work. During the normal course of the work day, I very rarely get to email or instant message anymore. And the instant messaging that I actually do is with other coworkers about certain projects. So it came as a surprise to me yesterday when one of my former coworkers (Mike) from my previous company sent me a message via instant messenger.

Mike and I used to work in town together. At the company, we were the one of the few people who shared the same first names; Dave being the other common first name. Anyway, I left that company over three years ago. Mike, apparently, remained there... until recently.

Anyway, the gist of Mike's message was that he was finally leaving that company in town. And he was quite excited to embark on his new endeavor. Naturally, I congratulated him on his new opportunity. I was then surprised when Mike thanked me for everything I had done for him.

I was particularly touched by his actions because... well, to be honest, I never gave much thought about how my actions at work impacted others. Apparently, Mike had considered me a mentor at one time and thanked me for helping him get where he was at the company, which he is currently leaving. In my opinion, I did not do anything. Mike got to where he was based on his own merits. I only showed him the possibilities.

Regardless, his actions got me thinking that perhaps I do more than I realize. After all, my friend (Carlos) referred to me as "the Doctor" at my previous employer. I never knew why Carlos called me that, but perhaps it may have to do with how I carry myself, not just at work but in life in general. The thought that I do make an impact, enough to receive an instant message out of the blue, actually brought a smile to my face yesterday.