Cheers To Those Who Make A Difference

Do you work with someone who is just terrific but haven’t told them? Do you look at them as somewhat of an informal mentor? Working at a large company, like Microsoft, it’s a fact of life that people come and go. In large companies there are so many interesting areas and products that it’s hard to stay in one area for your entire tenure.

If you don’t know Euan Garden, either in person or through his blog, it’s your lost; especially if you are a SQL Server gear-head. I think Euan has forgotten more about SQL Server than most people know.

Via his blog Euan just announced he’s moving from SQL Server to the Developer Division (the makers of Visual Studio, among other developer related products). I’m glad that he’s staying @ MSFT, but this is a classic case of one team’s lost is another’s gain.

I never told Euan, but he was/is one of my unofficial mentors. Euan has the incredible ability to simultaneously see problems and opportunities through three lenses: customer, competition, and senior management. He can articulate the problem or opportunity from these various perspectives which is an incredible skill. I’ve been watching (working with) Euan for almost two years and I almost always have to hold my bottom jaw in place as he waxes eloquently about this and that. Statistic roll off his tongue like he’s saying the ABCs.

I will miss Euan and I congratulate DevDiv for their gain. SQL Server was a better place with Euan. I now find myself wondering who in SQL Server will be the next “Euan”. Cheers Euan, my friend, my mentor!