Getting Mentors out of Comfort zone

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Advice

Thanks for the replies so far, but without getting into specifics how do we get the mentors to open up to more ideas when they won't entertain any?

If the students end up successfully prototyping a new to us drive train or other design feature this off-season, and the mentors dismiss it out of hand again next year, it will crush the students. Especially, since the mentors are not able to work on it in the off-season.

Ask your mentors what their concerns are about different ideas or drive trains.

Maybe they are concerned about not spending too much money on raw materials, or perhaps they might be worried that it will be difficult to manufacture something with your team's resources. Or perhaps they actually are doing what they do because that's what they've always done and no one has nudged them.

Once you know where there thoughts are, you can work to address any particular concerns they have. This process works between students and students, mentors and students, and mentors and mentors.