In the recent #ShareJam where we discussed the community, I remember reflecting on why the SharePoint community was so special, but today I was thinking it's not just the community that's special, there's some attributes that all SharePoint peeps have in common that make them fun sweet people to hang out with.

• Open - most people think of open as describing software. I think SharePoint peeps are open because if they aren't they will fail. They have to be able to share, they have to be able to ask questions and participate in the community. Go to a SharePint, you won't find people that aren't willing to share there life story. You'll get an ear full and more. Connect to a SharePoint person on Facebook, and you'll see their life in all its glory. More pictures, photos, and fun times than your other friends. They have lots to share.

• Well-Travelled - This is a bit strangee, but think about it... As an IT Pro you have to be well travelled to understand IIS, AD, and SQL. Aren't up to snuff on the BI stack, well you haven't ventured enough. As a dev you have skinned your knees on ASP.NET, C#, and these days you better be up on the latest Javascript/JQuery, Ajax, and REST or you'll be considered old school. SharePoint User Pros are doing wild stuff in InfoPath, and Designer that you never thought possible. They are transforming the business because of where they've been. In SharePoint Land it used to be the US SharePoint people going to Australia where they were thought of as cool, now it's the Aussies and Kiwis coming to the US in droves. It's not unusual at all to see a SharePoint Malaysian in Wellington, or a SharePoint Jordanian in Chicago, or SharePoint Iranian wandering across India, Nepal, or driving through red lights in San Francisco. The SharePoint Russians and Belarusians are renting a van and driving across California. SharePoint Costa Rican's pulling in Europeans to their conferences. The SharePoint South Africans are in UK, Netherlands, also flying to conferences all over the world… What is it about SharePoint and taking the roads less travelled as well? It's not unusual to see any SharePoint person in any corner of the world. SharePoint in Antarctica? That's serious.

• Patient - Yes, a SharePoint person is very patient. They likely have scars that have been calloused over. The patience has paid off with big dividends, but don't think patience means that the SharePoint people roll over, 'cause that's not the case. The SharePoint person has a voice. The voice has grown over the years. It's a very loud voice. The enterprise is making a permanent home for this SharePoint person, they definitely have a chair at the table.

• Hidden talents: Juggler, Dancer or Pogo Stick master - In SharePoint land a SharePoint peep must be able to handle large loads, and be able to juggle. At times it requires some serious dancing. SharePoint as an application and working with it requires dancing. You can't lose patience, you must learn the steps, you must learn to focus and not let that super focus keep you from your other priorities. Spend some time at a SharePoint Conference and you'll notice that SharePoint people don't even need much alcohol to get out on the dance floor and dance their hearts out. Some find a little bit of alcohol goes a long way. Others find they can have just as fun without it. They may even end up in a stretch hummer after dancing till 2am and end up on the Hollywood walk of fame barefoot and jumping the streets. This sounds unusual, but not in SharePoint land.

• No Reservations - You can't prepare for much of what SharePoint has to offer. The community can help you out when you get stuck, but MS definitely doesn't have all the answers. Even the community may not have run into your issue. You can plan and plan and plan, and never be prepared for what will happen. Even then you'll think you're on your own, but there's a plethora of people willing to lend you a hand. You have to reach out to a user group. You may find yourself in Egypt, and then find out… There's a community here. You show up in Fiji with no reservations and sure enough there are many who are willing to take you in, give you a couch and give you blankets and lemon tea.

• Silly - Peeps must have a good sense of humor. If you can't handle a good joke, or find humor in small things… you'll get exhausted and burnt out with SharePoint. You'll find that they are laughing all night long, whether they are doing #Shareaoke, #SharePint or just hanging out.

• Diverse - The quickest thing that will end your career in the SharePoint community is the opposite of accepting of diversity. Because the SharePoint community is so extremely diverse, you must learn to leave your baggage at the door. I think SharePoint peeps are building bridges like no other. The experiences I've had in the middle east with SharePoint peeps that have broken down walls bigger than the Berlin Wall is incredible. I've broken bread and eaten meals in Palestine with Muslims Christians and Jews. I've danced at gay clubs with a diverse SharePoint group and felt 100% comfortable. It has helped me a lot in my own life to see people for who they are. SharePoint peeps are not judgemental. SharePoint peeps know that America isn't the only free country in the world.

• Strong - Determination, drive and passion is definitely found here. The most passionate individuals you'll find anywhere are in this community. SharePoint peeps set goals and knock them out of the park. They dream that they will run a SharePoint event on a Saturday and they will get sponsors to pay for food, and people will come… and they do! They say, I want to connect with the SharePoint peeps in South Africa, and they do! They say, I want to deploy a large farm, and import 100,000 users and provide people search and take over the old Intranet and deal with all the old policits… and they do!

• Honest - Yes, this one sounds like a scout thing, but there is so much trust in this community it requires people to be honest with themselves and requires the same of others. We wouldn't accomplish half of what we've done with the community if we couldn't trust each other to some level and this is built on some level of open honesty that you won't find at the same levels elsewhere. That's why you have to be careful what you ask a SharePoint peep what they think. They'll likely tell you.

• Bold - Oh yeah. They have a voice, they are honest and they are bold. Careful what you ask for… you'll get it. They have been run over in the past, they've had some rough times travelling those long roads, they've had tons of patience and climbed many mountains. They have reason to be bold. They have a clear vision and so they deserve to be bold and give it to you straight.

Joel Oleson was a speaker at the European SharePoint Conference 2011. Why not keep up to date with Joel's amazing work by joining our community or by following us on twitter or facebook!