Develop Your Resources — You Don’t Need to Know It All!

Have you ever gone for a job interview and been asked this question: If given the choice, would you rather know a little about a lot, or a lot about a little? Frankly, I don’t know if there is a right or wrong answer. What I have come to realize though is that it’s impossible to know everything. There are times when I don’t have all the answers, and that’s when I appreciate having others I can turn to for help.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet a number of very talented, intelligent people. Many of them specialize in a particular discipline, and I am always amazed at their technical expertise and their ability to point me in the right direction to find the resources I need. These consultants are very generous with their knowledge and, quite often, their time. Build relationships with your contacts and reach out to them when you need help solving a problem. You will soon discover what a valuable tool networking can be.

In addition to contacting people directly, there are also many forums on the Internet, but beware … not everything out there is trustworthy. There are also some programs that are better than forums, such as ListServ, which is an application that distributes messages by e-mail to subscribers only. I belong to a few ListServ groups and find them particularly useful.

Just remember — you don’t need to know it all! Develop relationships with friendly consultants who can help you resolve your challenges. For anyone starting out in water treatment, understanding there are great resources out there and finding how to access them will probably make the difference between success and failure. At the very least, it will make life a little easier!