I know a lot about spreadsheets.
It’s not the type of thing that most would consider to be a claim to fame, but man, can I make those numbers come to life!
Creative formula writing and knowledge of accounting principles combined with years of practice has been invaluable to me in my career. More importantly, I like doing the work. A database is not just rows and columns of bland data; it’s the beginning of a challenge – a dare of sorts, from me to me.
I can make this stuff understandable for the non-accountant.
Now that’s a lofty ambition to have, eh?
I think so. In business, communication is key. If management is paying attention to the wrong things, the business will suffer.
In this hyper-social world, I go the other way. Give me a problem and the data to work with… then leave. (<–tweet this)
I’m at my best when I’m alone in my darkened office with only the glare of the monitor lighting my desk, smooth grooves playing in the background, and my phone turned off. When I emerge, my creation will be flexible, scalable, and of course, always deliver accurate results.
Oh, I’m getting all tingly just writing about it.
Despite the success that I experienced by taking this approach to work and working, something bad happened several years ago. I started to notice that others were placing me in a box. The box was formed by using lots of complimentary terms: The Excel Wizard, Mr., Excel, The Man, etc. At first it was nice, but…
… a gilded box is still a box.
I was going to school at the time, working to broaden my management skills so that I could advance. Ultimately, it took a change in jobs after graduation to begin to be recognized as being good at more than just one thing. I didn’t want to leave, but there didn’t seem to be any point in staying any longer.
Leaving my comfort zone, I took a chance. Escaping from the box has been hard at times, as prospective employers have not always been keen to my many talents. But like Pai Mei’s student in Kill Bill Vol. 2, I punched at the lid of the box until I broke free.
I know a lot about spreadsheets, but looking beyond them has taught me a lot about me.
Author Bio:
Ray Colon has written 157 posts on Ray's Blog.
He works with numbers for a living, but don't judge - boring accountants need love too. His blog has no niche (unless writing about things that are important to him is a niche). Some folks cringe when he gets “all political” on them, but he does it anyway when he's in that kind of mood. Sometimes, he writes something nice about someone, but you shouldn't get used to that. His first book, the one he hasn't written yet, is not available on Amazon. Subscribe to Ray's Blog via RSS or Email.
It's true that many have... } – 
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Ummmm..I’m glad an Excel spreadsheet fanatic loves to write stories too! I’ve had to master Excel for my jobs in fits and starts. My partner (who has formal training in engineering) is reasonably good at it and of course, his background helps figure out the macros and formulae.
That’s not me. While you get tingly about Excel, I get tingly about creating relational databases –big ones. ‘Cause that is my formal training…a librarian. So using a blog platform, after I made the big jump, turned out to be a breeze for me to learn. (But I don’t know CSS and am not movitated right now.)
Excel and math are not my forte at all. It’s only because it’s been required for some my jobs that I learned abit on my own.
Numbers are ok, it relates to money. But to me, in the end, that’s all. Telling stories is more fun in words and photos. Now that stokes my Muse!
Hi Jean,
Cute. Yes, I like to write stories, but I’d starve on the income it generates.
So you’re probably more comfortable using Access, which I’ve only worked with a few times. CSS is fun, but most can get by with knowing only the basics for making minor tweaks to code that someone else has written – at least that’s how I use it.
Storytelling never feels like work even though it takes me a lot of time to get it right. Maybe that’s my second best talent. Now I’ve got to update my resume!
Ray
And I get all tingly just reading about it!
Oh, Alicia,
Does that mean that we are getting all tingly together this morning? Friday friskiness!
Ray
Friday friskiness is the best kind!
Dear Ray:
Sunday morning here at the foot of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi, Japan, and I am delighted by your stopping by my blog once again. Thank you, Ray.
And returning to visit you today I just want to say how much I enjoy the new look of your blog – and I love your tagline.
I won’t comment on spreadsheets or databases since I don’t excel in either.
But feeling tingly I know very well.
Looking forward to many tingly moments in 2012. Catrien
Hi Catrien,
Happy Sunday morning! Thanks, I settled on this look after a lot of experimentation.
The post was much less about about spreadsheets and databases, and more about being seen as doing more than one thing well, so we can add being tingly to your list along with the uplifting spirit you share with us on your blog.
Ray