[archiver]

Posted by ChrisH at 02/26/2001 12:27 AM EST


Engineer on team #330, Beach 'Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA JPL, J & F Machine, Raytheon, et al.


In Reply to: Dedicated few...
Posted by nick237 on 02/23/2001 6:59 PM EST:



Nick,

First of all I think you need to go home and sleep, for a week or so. It's amazing how much better things look when you're not exhausted.

Two years ago I was ready to quit. We'd had a rough year and things didn't go well. I had finally learnd to size an electric motor (WAY too late) and I realized how badly I screwed up.

But then around about September I was talking to our fearless leader and somehow I signed up again. I'm still not sure how that happened. Especially since I had been avoiding him so it wouldn't.

Two things changed that year. First we aquired a brilliant and inventive fellow mechanical named Matt Briggs. Second we did really well in competition. That turned me around.

Last Monday night that engineer and I, our fearless leader Roger Harmon and several others were there when we finished at 3:00am. By that time we had sent all the kids home as most had an exam the next day and there are a few things more important than robots.

More help is good but you need to find the right people to help. You need people who work harder as time gets shorter. I can't help you do that and the only way to find out if they qualify is in the fire of competition. Hold on to those who pass the test as hard as you can. Remember to show them (and their spouses) appreciation.

One thing I try to do both on the robot and professionally is ask myself as I am accomplishing a task "Is this something that only I can do?". If yes I finish it, if not I find somebody else, even though it means I must take time to explain what needs doing. On our team as often as possible it's a student that's drafted. This means students running mills and power saws sometimes.

This way I focus on what's important for me to do and the students and other advisors stay involved. It also raises commitment levels and helps people feel they are a part of things.

It also spreads the load so I don't have to feel like I or Roger or Matt have to do everything. Will it always be this way? I hope so but probably not afterall nothing is perfect in this world.

My $0.02
Chris Husmann, PE
Team 330 the Beach'Bots