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Unread 24-04-2007, 19:35
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Re: Mentors level of power

I have watched several teams implode because of these issues, so these are good questions.

Before I get into answering the details of the questions. Let’s remember FIRST is to motivate the kids to “a new kind of hero”. I have seen bots built by all kids and almost no mentors, and then go out there and get killed. And other teams the mentors deliver a finished bot with kids never touching it and the team does great. Which motivates the kids more?

We have had lots of debates on this, and I think it can be both. But again it is for the kids but it is a team thing. So no one person, kid or mentor should have total control over the build, it should be a team decision.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niffer View Post
“How much control should a mentor have on a team? “
Really depends, again it is a team thing. No one mentor on our team has total control.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niffer View Post
“Like lets say you team runs in a group structure system, meaning you have a student group leader and then other students as team members for strategy,build,etc.

Lets say your group makes a decision and a mentor comes in and shuts down that idea because they don't think its going to work. When you ask that leader why they say "Its not going to work its a waste of time" (we'll assume also of course that the group of students came up with a good idea and not an idea to,say make the robot fly =p). “
Hey 1902 proved pigs fly .

If a mentor does that then it is bad management. Any team member needs to yield to the team. Also there are bad ideas, but they shouldn’t be shut down but worked with and mentor should work with the kids towards the best plan.

But why was the decision made without the mentor involvement? It should be a total team decision working together to make it happen.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niffer View Post
““Now do you think thats fair? Should a mentor be able to do that?” “!
Sounds like a problem you had in the past. In Proverbs in the Bible it says when you hear one side of the story it always sounds good until you hear both sides. So I would like to hear both sides before passing judgment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niffer View Post
“What should a mentor be able to do, not to do?“!
Again it is a team thing. If you want to run off mentors, just ignore them. If mentors want to frustrate the kids just ignore them.

I think kids are really good at thinking outside the box, I listen to them. But at same time the mentors adult and college bring in a lot of experience and should be listened to.

Sounds like there are deeper problems here that need to be worked through.

Either work together as a team or you will go nowhere.
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Last edited by Doug Leppard : 24-04-2007 at 19:38.
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