So what does GP mean to you?

[Billfred]

I keep seeing people on the board saying that GP means different things to different people.

So let's get it out here--what does GP mean to you?

The way I read it, you don't intentionally screw people over, cheer when anyone caps or hangs, and help when you can. Hopefully, some sort of FIRST karma will kick in, and you'll do well.

Anyone?

[SilenceNoMore]

To me it is nothing more than a punchline people use to win awards and to look good in the eyes of other teams.

[Jeff Rodriguez]

It means repecting others.

[Ben.V.293]

To me gracious professionalism is a way acting in which a person is gracious-kind, calm, and helpfull, while still being professional and getting done what has to be done. i agree entirely with what Ogre said.

Originally Posted by Ogre

It means repecting others.

To me gracious professionalism should NOT be a religion where those who show the most of it are transformed into gods and worshipped by all, and it should NOT a commodity that is coveted and wanted by all . While these people do deserve respect so does almost every other mentor, volunteer, and First member.

Ben Van Selous

[Venkatesh]

I believe that Gracious Professionalism the name for the general attitude of students, mentors, teams, and other organizational subunits within FIRST.

To understand what it is, split it into its two parts. The first part, "Gracious" is the more difficult to understand. To me, it means that you accept the successes of others with a genuine smile and are willing to share parts/expertise with other teams, even if they might be opponents.

The second part of GP, "Professionalism" has an important meaning. While Grace will carry you through good times and victory, Professionalism will carry you through hard times and defeat. It guides one to away from desparate acts and acts under stress and frustration.

The most amazing thing about Gracious Professionalism is how it endures the change of members of FIRST. I believe that it is not imposed or even explained from the "FIRST gods" but instead appears from below, in the pits of the regionals and in communications between teams, and a will to follow the spirit of the rules, even when it would be easier to ignore them.

[ThetaDot]

Originally Posted by SilenceNoMore

To me it is nothing more than a punchline people use to win awards and to look good in the eyes of other teams.

++

[LauraN]

Originally Posted by SilenceNoMore

To me it is nothing more than a punchline people use to win awards and to look good in the eyes of other teams.

I disagree.

Everyone is selfish. It's human nature. Every time you do something for yourself, you are being selfish. Every time you do something for someone else, you are being selfish, because being kind to others makes you feel good about yourself. That's why people make sacrifices. They may be missing out on something (be it money, fun activities, comfort), but they get a feeling of satisfaction for having helped others.

So basically, yeah, you're right- but you're also as guilty of it as anyone else. Maybe teams do things that are graciously professional just to look good- but chances are they also feel good about themselves for having helped others. Maybe it's cheap. But so is any other form of sacrifice or giving. True, it's selfish, but there's nothing that can be done about it. And there's nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself- that's a part of FIRST as well.

Besides, FIRST gives out awards based on GP. The underlying requirement for a Chairman's Award Winner is a team that is graciously professional. FIRST encourages us to be GP because of that whole vision of Dean's that has come up once or twice. Maybe it's idealistic, but regardless of our motives, we're still helping others, aren't we? So yes teams use it to get awards- but that's the point of the award in the first place!

[SilenceNoMore]

Originally Posted by LauraN

Besides, FIRST gives out awards based on GP. The underlying requirement for a Chairman's Award Winner is a team that is graciously professional. FIRST encourages us to be GP because of that whole vision of Dean's that has come up once or twice. Maybe it's idealistic, but regardless of our motives, we're still helping others, aren't we? So yes teams use it to get awards- but that's the point of the award in the first place!

So you do admit that GP is nothing more than something that is used to get awards? So, why even bother with GP then?

Thats why I am in favor of doing away with the Chairman's Award all together. It is quite simply a measure of who can put on biggest sham showing gracious professionalism.

[LauraN]

Originally Posted by SilenceNoMore

So you do admit that GP is nothing more than something that is used to get awards? So, why even bother with GP then?

Thats why I am in favor of doing away with the Chairman's Award all together. It is quite simply a measure of who can put on biggest sham showing gracious professionalism.

*blinks*

By that logic, FIRST only asks us to build a robot to win awards for it. So let's get rid of that part. Let's all just make animation submissions, shall we?

To me, GP means exactly what it apparently means to the judges at nationals, who choose the Cheesy Poofs as the national Chairman's Award winner. I strongly encourage you to read their submission. (http://team254.bcp.org/)

If you really think GP is worthless, maybe you should tell that to the dozen or so teams that have been started and/or mentored by the Cheesy Poofs. Tell them that the efforts of the Cheesy Poofs were just a worthless sham.

FIRST wants us to Inspire people. I think, in essence, the S(cience) and T(echnology) of FIRST are irrelevant. It's the Inspiration and Recognition parts that are important. GP means inspiring others. It means making sure that everyone has an opportunity to join and continue a FIRST team. It means making sure that every team has a robot to put into competition. It means making sure that everyone involved learns something from the experience.

Having these opportunities and reaping these rewards is something we all enjoy and from which we all benefit. But FIRST can't do it all by itself. GP teams are those that make those opportunities and rewards possible. I think they all deserve a big thank-you from everyone in the FIRST organization. FIRST wouldn't be what it is without them.

[sanddrag]

Gracious Professionalism is about not being sad that your team lost, but being hapy that your opponent one. It is about becoming happy by making other people happy. It occurs when you have nothing to do on your team, because the younger members have taken your part. It occurs when someone has the "opportunity" of committing a malicious action but they don't because they imaging themselves on the other side of the line.

[MikeDubreuil]

Gracious Professionalism means a couple things to me.

1. Pouring your heart and soul into an idea, event, robot, anything and not expecting anything back other than personal satisfaction.

2. Knowing that someone wronged you, and forgiving them and continuing on without making a mess of the situation.

3. Acting in a way that is appropriate and sets an example for humanity.

4. Helping another team, even though you might end up losing against them later. Knowing that by improving their FIRST experience, you might have changed a life, and that's the greatest personal satisfaction of them all.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by LauraN

I disagree.

Everyone is selfish. It's human nature. Every time you do something for yourself, you are being selfish. Every time you do something for someone else, you are being selfish, because being kind to others makes you feel good about yourself. That's why people make sacrifices. They may be missing out on something (be it money, fun activities, comfort), but they get a feeling of satisfaction for having helped others.

So basically, yeah, you're right- but you're also as guilty of it as anyone else. Maybe teams do things that are graciously professional just to look good- but chances are they also feel good about themselves for having helped others. Maybe it's cheap. But so is any other form of sacrifice or giving. True, it's selfish, but there's nothing that can be done about it. And there's nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself- that's a part of FIRST as well.

Besides, FIRST gives out awards based on GP. The underlying requirement for a Chairman's Award Winner is a team that is graciously professional. FIRST encourages us to be GP because of that whole vision of Dean's that has come up once or twice. Maybe it's idealistic, but regardless of our motives, we're still helping others, aren't we? So yes teams use it to get awards- but that's the point of the award in the first place!

I think you may be hung up on using a word that sounds like it fits but really doesn't. The word "selfish" implies you are doing something simply because it benefits you at the expense of others. When you do something that makes you feel good, it is not being selfish. When you are doing something that benefits others and makes you feel good, that may well be "gracious" but not "professional". When you do something that benefits others in a professional way (i.e. an exchange of ideas with no limits) that is "gracious professionalism" and it makes you feel good because you are doing the right thing. There are hundreds of teams that exhibit and practice gracious professionalism but do not come close to achieving chairman's status. We do it (I do it) because it is the right thing to do, period. Hang whatever name you like on it and it is still the right thing to do.
As a last note, when you think about the effect your words might have on someone, before you say them, that might also be gracious and professional. Remember that some of those who are reading your replies on this site, may be visiting for the very first time. Make an impression.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Many people think FIRST is about building robots. I can't stress how much I disagree with that. When I first got into robotics, I thought this.. but now as I have been involved for 2 years, I can really start to see what FIRST is all about. Gracious Profesionalism is one thing that makes FIRST what it is, and even though you may not realize it, is probably the reason that people love FIRST as much as they do.

But, what does Gracious Profesionalism mean to me? I dont think I can answer that acurately, at least not yet. But I guess I'll take a stab at it. GP is not something you do. It's a way of life. You cannot "put on" your GP at competetions to impress judges or other teams. GP is something that is inside of you. It is that drive to help others out, even when you yourself may need help. It is respecting others, and not putting them down for anything. GP is the true spirit of a "Co-opertition". GP is that feeling you get when you see the smile on someones face after you have helped them with a problem they were having. GP is going out of your way to help the cause.

GP IS NOT sitting and moaning after your team has lost. GP IS going out there the next time, giving 110%, and giving everything you have to turn that loss into a victory. It may not be the next match. It may not be the next competetion. It may not even be the next year.. but if you practice GP, it is a guarantee that you will come out succesful.

I would like to quote one of the judges I talked to at the NJ regional (cant remember her name) "10 years from now, your not going to remember who had which robot, or who won what award. None of that will matter. But, you are going to remember what you got out of it. And, you are going to remember how much fun you had." These are words to live by. This can also tie in to what my definition of GP is. GP is something that stays with you for life. It is something that will help you get anywhere you want to go. GP is what gives FIRST the fun, friendly type of atmosphere it has.

One last thought..
Who here likes the website "www.ChiefDelphi.com"? I bet you all do! It may not occur to you that this website is the perfect example of GP. In what other sport would you see competing teams go online to a PUBLIC forum, and post all of their strategies, and secret weapons. NO WHERE ELSE but FIRST. That, in my mind, is what makes FIRST so great. No matter what, there is always someone out there willing to help you out. Thats what GP is all about people. Helping, respecting, and caring for competitors/other people/barrel of monkeys, even in the heat of battle.

Im not too good at these big long posts giving my inner thoughts, but I tried, so thank you for reading

[Redhead Jokes]

Originally Posted by ToMMan b182

GP is not something you do. It's a way of life. You cannot "put on" your GP at competetions to impress judges or other teams. GP is something that is inside of you. It is that drive to help others out, even when you yourself may need help. It is respecting others, and not putting them down for anything. GP is the true spirit of a "Co-opertition". GP IS NOT sitting and moaning after your team has lost. GP IS going out there the next time, giving 110%, and giving everything you have to turn that loss into a victory. Who here likes the website "www.ChiefDelphi.com"? I bet you all do! )

I remember the few mentors in my working experience who lived GP and taught it to me.

When our team was rising from the ashes, I became curious the definition for GP, and as I've done with other words or phrases, started by looking in the dictionary, then we eventually discovered charactercounts.org and incorporated their stuff into our gp poster

and it helped personalize gp for our team.

At championships we were passing out a new creation - a paper enabling you to create a hanging cube for your car, whatever, of gp characteristics...
the cube


BTW, I believe participation on Chief Delphi forum is a benchmark...
"A standard by which something can be measured or judged."
of chairman like teams.

I can't remember now about which award, which team, or what was said, from championships regarding chief delphi forum as one of the reasons given for the award.

When you speak about not bemoaning a loss, and going back out and giving it 110% I think about

the people who are rarely at meetings or exhibitions who want to blame a loss on those who were at meetings and exhibitions doing the work, and want to demand more work from the same people, while not putting in more time and effort themselves...

and how much I appreciate the people who are motivated by a loss to appreciate all the hard work that was done, and are now motivated to get in the ring themselves and work towards a goal they now understand better.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Redhead Jokes

When our team was rising from the ashes, I became curious the definition for GP, and as I've done with other words or phrases, started by looking in the dictionary, then we eventually discovered charactercounts.org and incorporated their stuff into our gp poster

Interesting, when I looked at your poster I was reminded of...
A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverant.
The original gracious professional?!?