I’m a lucky guy, I’ve worked in many kinds of distinctly different environments (Government, Finance, Banking, Ticketing) with a lot of different kinds of folks. During that time, I’ve seen both good times and bad. Nobody gets into Network Engineering because they expect a parade, at your top dollar best you are providing a stable and reliable architecture for your team to work and at its worst you are a combination of Scotty from Star Trek “givin’ ‘er all she’s got cap’n” and an out take from the tv show Mr. Robot, tech typing™ away. I’ve seen people rise to the challenge, coming up with inventive and ingenious solutions to RED ALERT level problems. I’ve also seen literally seen paper CCNAs fold and flat out walk out the door. A faker never gets far in this profession, and sometimes toughening up is part of the job.

This job changes dramatically in crisis, and part of it is letting leadership know that you’ve got this. I’m not for everybody, I can tend to be loud and brash and I am very opinionated. I know where I’m at, and I’m not overtly modest about it, this can be off-putting and is not my best character trait. Like everybody: I’m a work in progress. Pardon our dust, while we grow to serve you better.

However, although I certainly would never, ever seek them out I would say that I am rock solid in a crisis. Having learned from the very best, and having been inspired by “quiet storm” coworkers that show bravery, clear-eyed alacrity and a passion for the profession. A crisis can bring out the best and worst of people.

We all like to think of ourselves as the cool-headed James Bond type, dealing with every situation that comes up with an effortless cool and style. Reality has missteps, muttered vulgarities and solutions that you really should have thought of a couple hours before, if you hadn’t been so tired. That’s reality, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

I’m not a perfectionist, not at all. I often have talked about the learning power of a mistake or misstep, how one can make themselves so much better by the sheer self-involved tactic of not wanting to embarrass yourself again. When you’ve been through a lot, you can see warning signs coming down the line.

Everybody messes up, everybody chokes. The thing to realize is to know when you need to take a break from the action, or when you need to tag out and not let your pride let you and your coworkers drown. Good managers know this and enable their team to win, good engineers recognize this and are clear in their communication and honest with their actions. Yes, even when you are the cause of it.

Am I the best? No. But I’m very good I know where I’m at, and I’m confident in my skills and experience. My successes and failures are part of my history. However, I know enough to know I still have tons to learn. Everybody is a work in progress. The thing about me, is I absolutely do. not. quit. In the darkest and most miserable hour, I’ll always come through in a clutch.

I guess i’m stupid like that.

It’s an easy answer why. I never, ever want to let down the team. Everybody has things going on in their life, people that depend on them, life events to deal with, my problems are no more special than theirs.

I try to deal with crisis with humor, some people find this unsettling, inappropriate or off-putting, for me it’s a way with dealing with the crazy overnight hours away from family, friends and the world at large. I prefer to laugh, rather than scream. When the world is aflame and all your meticulous plans have gone up in smoke and everybody looks at you to ask, “How are you going to fix this?”

In summary, any Network Engineer can take a well-designed, well run network and effectively keep the lights on, supporting the needs of the business. Network design is an art, and it’s something I’ve learned a lot about over the years, a well-designed and stable network designed to support the needs of the business is something we should all strive for.

I must say though: You find the true measure of a Network Engineer with how they handle a crisis, when the executives need answers, the business needs their connectivity immediately and tensions are so thick you can cut it with a knife. You must dig as deep as you can, and then dig even deeper than that.

That’s the job, and nobody should get into Network Engineering because they want a parade. Take a deep breath and go get it done. You’ve got this. Go get ’em, Tiger.

-Conan Newton, CCNP (R&S), 3 X CCNA (R&S, Wireless, Security) and 3/4 CCNP (Security)