Engineers, entrepreneurs synonymous with diversity and solid communication

Whenever I tell folks that our center is located in the University of Missouri College of Engineering, I get some quizzical looks in return. 

“The College of Engineering? What are you doing there?” 

It’s a logical question, especially from people who are unfamiliar with engineering or entrepreneurship. But the explanation is just as logical. 

The first connection is in the mindset of the two disciplines. It’s a mindset that we’ve discussed in this column before. Both entrepreneurs and engineers are known for their problem-solving ability. Both are “idea people.” These are the folks who want to make things better, faster, stronger, more efficient, easier, more environmentally friendly, less expensive, more value-added…the list goes on and on. They are the “what if?” people. And thank goodness we have them, or we would be missing out on nearly all of the products we enjoy today. 

Just stop and think of everything you have used today that required the work of an engineer, from the alarm that woke you up, to the air conditioning you will sleep under tonight. You’ll be amazed.

This natural connection is behind a national movement to educate more engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset, professionals who possess not only solid technical expertise, but also the additional qualities of inventiveness, risk-taking, opportunity identification and a sense of adventure. This is a change in engineering education, and it’s a far cry from the preparation enjoyed by the engineers of the Cold War era, who were immersed in a narrow technical discipline, with the anticipation that they would work their entire career for a manufacturing concern, often of a defense-related nature. In a primarily product-oriented economy, the work of engineers was more narrowly focused, related to specific projects within a large corporate engine.

Today’s engineers are more likely to be part of one of thousands of small start-up companies founded each year by teams of highly creative and innovative professionals with iPhones and stock options. Instead of being a part of a huge organization and taking directives from the home office, engineers must rely on their own creativity, market intelligence, opportunity recognition and interpersonal skills to put their technical expertise to use. Can those qualities be acquired through education? We believe they can. 

Of course, those individuals with a more creative nature already have an advantage, but we can all learn about innovation and learn to appreciate it. Add some training in finance, marketing, business management essentials and human resources; create teams of students whose skills complement one another; and offer some real-world examples of taking innovation from the laboratory to market, and you’re off to a great start in creating an entrepreneurial engineer. Balancing the two sets of skills is critical. The university is the perfect environment to meld these sets of complementary talents.

We like to talk about this differentiation this way: instead of graduating with a degree in engineering to “get a job,” we hope to encourage students to get a degree in engineering to “beget” a job, to create their own work in starting a company, initiating product development or even working as an “intrapreneur” within a larger organization. Whatever path they choose, it’s critical they have some of the following attributes: 

A high level of engagement. Being engaged means loving what you do and being so involved in it that you wonder where the time has gone. It’s a quality of both successful entrepreneurs and engineers – working a problem until the answer appears, often days, months or years later. 

A high level of organization. Knowing where things are – both physically and mentally – is essential in business and in technical problem-solving. 

Solid communication skills — both written and verbal. Engineers are not traditionally known as passionate writers, but in terms of presenting ideas, making a pitch, summarizing a project, skills in writing are essential. Likewise, presentation skills are a must. Entrepreneurial engineers may not like it, but they must learn to master making a formal presentation to potential investors, colleagues and, even, the general public. 

Excellent interpersonal skills. Engineering is fairly predictable, but people are not. So, engaging people can be challenging for engineers, as the outcome is often irrational and unexpected. Developing comfort with the ambiguity of human relationships is something that can be cultivated over time, as can the ability to persuade and motivate others. 

Clear approach to teamwork. Because this involves high levels of all of the qualities mentioned above, it’s sometimes a challenge for enterprising engineers. But in today’s world, it’s essential. A good entrepreneur realizes he needs to surround himself with those who possess the skills he lacks. It’s not good business to try to go it alone. 

Ability to recognize opportunities and assess technologies. There are thousands of ideas, but only a few have true potential in terms of financial feasibility and technical application. An entrepreneurial engineer will learn the business planning model as a tool to assess opportunity from a market perspective. It’s easy to fall in love with technology, but if there is no market for the magic, it’s simply that. Magic. 

In a fast-moving global economy, it’s the well-rounded and multi-talented engineers who will rise to leadership positions and chart the path for future innovations. A mix of market savvy and technical expertise is the recipe for success. 

With our center here in the College of Engineering, we see the product of that marriage every day. It’s a great place to be!

Mary Paulsell is the director of the University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the MU College of Engineering.