When I first heard this word I wasn't sure how this could apply to me and my technical career. In fact, when I first heard this word I wasn't completely sure what it meant. So when reaching for the dictionary and finding out that this is about fame and respect I suddenly understood that not only does it apply to me, but that in some ways it is something that I can only have small amount of influence over.
"How so?" I hear you ask. Well respect has to be earned, and whomever gives you that respect is in some ways more important. LinkedIn provides the ability to tag people with skills and knowledge that you consider that they have, but I know that when an IBM distinguished engineer tags my LinkedIn profile with IT Architecture that that means more to me and carries more weight than if my friends also do the same, (sorry friends of mine).
Fame on the other hand is another level altogether. How do people become famous outside of your current sphere of influence? I think this is where eminence becomes difficult. You might have gained the respect for your technical knowledge by creating something important in your work life, but if you don't tell the wider technical community about this, they may never know. The wider technical community is one thing but how about the industry? Now this stuff is really getting scary and in my personal experience not all technical professionals want to be the rabbit in the headlights!
So why now and why me? As a technical professional it is good to be recognised for our knowledge and technical expertise. That's part of it, but I think that in the same way that the word eminence is falling into common usage the act of being eminent is now becoming an important facet in your career development. Your personal eminence is something you will take with you as you move through your life, and this will be expected by employers more and more. Now is the time to transform your approach to your career and by building your personal eminence you too can gain the fame and respect that you deserve.
