I seem to be the only person on my team who has any sort of inclination towards gracious professionalism or the spirit of FIRST. I am the reporter, and so I recently made a presentation for our sponsors, which included information about our team and FIRST. Most of the team wanted to remove entirely the slide about gracious professionalism, and amend the slide introducing FIRST to say less about changing the culture towards more science and technology. It isn’t as if I’m shouting about the “gospel of engineering” from the rooftops or anything. In fact, compared to many on CD, I’m quite moderate in my obsession.
It was pointed out today, while we as a team were working on this presentation, that I should discuss FIRST and GP, because I was “like, the only team member that even gets on Chief Delphi and believes in that stuff.”
It isn’t just the freshmen that want to put chainsaws on the robots, it is the entire team, including the president, and a lot of seniors who have been in the program for years. I don’t expect every member to be as passionate about FIRST as I am, but how can I as a team member inspire my team to care about things like being graciously professional and the goals of FIRST as a whole. Is there any more I can say about why winning doesn’t matter as much, because we as students are winners by even being in FIRST?
If they’re not into the message of FIRST, then maybe FIRST isn’t the right competition for them. There ARE other options.
Keep in mind that I’m in no way saying that your team should leave, nor advising any course of action at all. Instead, I suggest you spend some time looking outside of just FIRST. GP is wonderful, it’s a great idea that FIRST seems to carry uniquely. However, GP isn’t everywhere in the world. There’s a big wide world out there, and it might be time to listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head that says “What the crap am I doing?!” (am I the only one that gets this every now and then? and for things totally unrelated to first, too!)
Back to the chainsaws on the robot thing: if combat robotics is really their thing, don’t dissuade them. Lay down what FIRST is, what it’s about, and let them decide.
But if you’re not in a position of authority, I suggest you let them design a sponsorship request, then you do one WITH GP included. It might serve as a little example on the benefits of GP.
That being said, I don’t think we need to bring back the dreaded GP is not a flag discussion, so I REALLY hope this thread doesn’t turn into that.
EDIT: I’m probably going to recieve some flack for this. I suggest PMing me if you disagree, maybe I can better phrase my ideas here for you before you feel the need to rip my head off in open threads.
Believe it or not you are already making a change. You can’t beat it over their collective heads but when you act with GP and you keep bringing up the idea of it, little by little you are making a difference.
Changing culture is a slow process, and one person can make a difference.
If you believe what you are saying, then you are role modeling. You can role model what you believe and what you think. Many people don’t. They talk the talk but they don’t walk the walk. Those that do, impact. That’s true in life and definitely true in teams that grasp and understand the importance of using Gracious Professionalism as an action that impacts and conducts change.
How a team wins as well as how a team loses is important when looking at it through the lens of conduct and attitude. How a team mentors others and is available to help, influences their community during build season and the competition while competing. How a team conducts itself following the competition and the season, reflects on the team and the program. The actions can be improvements or can be detrimental - inspiring or devastating.
When you were chosen to discuss FIRST and Gracious Professionalism, then it became an opportunity for you as an individual and a team member to conduct yourself as a role model, making an impact. It has to start somewhere, why not with you…
Sidenote: I think winning is important just as I think losing is important. They are important in how they set the bar and how they are valued and respected. Teams can be sore winners just as they can be sore losers. Teams can be gracious losers just as they can be gracious winners. The build season is an opportunity to develop as a team and to put that development to use during competition season. If it is used wisely and well, then the competition season has been a good one, win lose or draw.
Perhaps showing the students examples of non-GP behavior would help. I would look around the internet for videos of sports players fighting with each other because a goal was scored. Make sure to point out that these players lost millions of dollars in endorsement deals as a direct result of jerks and exhibiting the winning is everything philosophy.
Also, make sure that your students understand that you could have the most incredible robot but if you try to win at all costs I will NOT pick you to be on an alliance. And I know judges won’t give you awards. If they can’t accept that FIRST is not about winning awards then they shouldn’t be here. Until they can mature and realize that winning isn’t everything (A fact many people in FIRST would do well to learn as well) they do not belong here, FIRST is not like America. It doesn’t want the poor, and the broken, or the dregs of society. It wants passionate individuals who are committed to the goals of FIRST. I realize that statement seems elitist but, if there is a team who will willingly damage the robot that my kids worked so hard on I do not want them on the field, they do not deserve to be there. Winning should NEVER take precedence over being a decent human being.
That being said, kudos on wanting to help them mature.
This is a competition, and in a competition the goal is to win. However, what you do to reach that goal shows the true measure of the person.
If you win, but were a jerk, the thing that people will remember is that you were a jerk. Even worse ir that they will remember that someone one your team was a jerk and it will affect how others view you as a team.
Remember, everything you do while on the team reflects on your team. Good reputations are difficult to build and easily destroyed.
