What does it take to be a successful engineer?

1. What does it take to be a successful engineer? • Creativity • Motivation/curiosity/attitude • Persistence/effort • Knowledge • Teamwork/communication • Other (e.g., snacks)

2. Questions: Are you creative? (1 = not very, 5 = very) How do you know? Give an example of creativity.

3. Reporting out • What was your “strategy”? • How many ideas did you have? • Were your ideas very “creative”? • What were your greatest barriers? • Time pressure? • Sharing them in public? • Social appropriateness • Uncertainty about directions? • “Blank-Page” effect? • Lack of concentration

5. Questions… • How many ideas did you have? • What was your “strategy”? • Were your ideas very “creative”? • Why isn’t your list longer? • What were your greatest barriers? • Time pressure? • Sharing them in public? • Social appropriateness • Uncertainty about directions? • “Blank-Page” effect? • Lack of concentration? • Did you think of things that others thought of, but fail to write them down?

6. Your Creative Style An Un-scientific (but Fast) Self-Assessment

7. Personal Style Part 1 Please answer the following 10 questions about your working habits

8. When I am working on a task, I tend to… A) Go along with a consistent level of work R) Work with high energy at times and low energy other times • If there is a problem, I usually am the one who thinks of… R) Many solutions, some of which are unusual A) One or two solutions that that other people will generally accept

9. When Keeping records, I tend to… A) Be very careful about documentation R) Be more haphazard about documentation • In meetings, I am often seen as the one who… A) Keeps the group functioning well and maintains order R) Challenges ideas or authority

10. My thinking style could most accurately be described as… A) Linear thinker, going from A to B to C R) Thinking like a grasshopper, jumping from one idea to another • If I have to run a project or group, I… R) Have the general idea and let people figure out how to do the tasks A) Try to figure out goals, time lines, and expected outcomes

11. If there are rules to follow, I tend to… A) Generally follow them R) Question whether those rules are meaningful or not • I like to be around people who are… A) Smart, stable and solid R) Clever, stimulating, and change frequently

12. In my office or home, things are… R) Here and there in various piles A) Laid out neatly or at least in a reasonable order • I usually feel the way people have done things in the past… A) Must have some merit and comes from accumulated wisdom R) Can always be improved upon

13. Scoring I • Count the number of A’s and R’s • If R is higher, you are “Type R” • If A is higher, you are “Type A” • Write this down • Subtract R from A • Write down the absolute value

14. Style Assessment • Type R with dif. 8-10 : Strong R • Type R with dif. 5-7 : Mid-Level R • Type R with dif. 2-4 : Moderate R • Difference of 1 or less : MID R/A • Type A with dif. 2-4 : Moderate A • Type A with dif. 5-7 : Mid-Level A • Type A with dif. 8-10 : Strong A

15. Personal Style Part 2 Please take out a piece of lined paper to make a list

16. EXERCISE Spend ten (10) minutes making a list as long as you can of uses for yellow wooden pencils.

17. Minutes Remaining…

18. Let’s Share Them…

19. Radical Innovators less disciplined manipulate problems work in short bursts take control challenge rules seek radical change Adaptive Innovators prefer precision resolve problems work steadily act as authority work within rules seek implementation. Styles Unveiled

20. What are the implications of these differences? • Differences in • Process • Communication Style • Creative Approach • Level of “Innovation” • Solution Practicality

21. Paper Clip Innovation

22. Paper Clip: Type RI

23. Gem Clip Machine ca. 1899

24. Paper Clip Type: AI

25. Adaptive Innovations

26. How would you assess… • Thomas Jefferson • Thomas Edison • Ben Franklin

27. return