FIRST Championship Conferences presentation in Mentor and Coach Resources Track. Title of the presentation: Motivate! Do Not Teach. Subtitle: Motivation Leads To Ownership and Ownership Leads to Innovation

1. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
Motivate! Do Not Teach
Mufrid Krilic, Senior Software Developer, DIPS AS, Norway
Coach for FIRST LEGO League Team Septem
Motivation Leads to Ownership and Ownership Leads to Innovation

2. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Short introduction of the speaker
 Mentor role in FIRST Lego League project
 About mentors and motivation
 Motivate to achieve what?
 Experiences from mentoring FIRST Lego League teams
 About innovation in FIRST Lego League project
 Patterns to consider applying in your project
 Summary
Abstract

3. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 First Lego League mentor/coach with 6 years experience of guiding
teams varying in size from 6 to 20+ students.
 Experience with both classroom projects and freelance teams
– In classroom projects my role has been mentoring out-of-class project and
robot training sessions
– Experience with freelance teams assembled across different schools, where I
have been involved as mentor in all parts of the project.
 Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina
 Currently enjoying family life in Norway and engaging my kids in
STEM activities.
About me

4. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Senior software developer/Technical Coach at DIPS AS
 DIPS AS Enabling Efficient Healthcare - Nordic eHealth Innovation
– DIPS AS is the leading supplier of eHealth systems to Norwegian hospitals.
The company has contracts with three of Norway's four regional health
trusts, including five of the six university hospitals in Norway.
– The DIPS solutions has more than 80,000 daily users and is thus one of
Norway's most used computer systems.
– DIPS offers professional implementation services and have delivered
implementation projects to more than 70 hospitals, including one of Europe’s
largest hospitals, Oslo University Hospital with more than 2000 beds.
 Proud sponsor of local First Lego League tournament
My Professional Background at DIPS AS, Norway

5. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
1. Students enroll in First Lego League project
2. Continuous work on the project
3. Finishing the project and preparations for the tournament.
 The main scope of the presentation will be on the phase after team
recruitment and project kick-off
Three phases of a FIRST Lego League project

6. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Is there a definition of the role?
 Merriam-Webster Dictionary
– a trusted counselor or guide, tutor or coach
 Mentor from Greek mythology:
• a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus
 What are the specific tasks for a FIRST Lego League mentor?
– Administration
– Logistics
– What about teaching?
– What about motivation?
Mentor role in FIRST Lego League project

7. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Studies by Elton Mayo pointed out that motivation is the most
important factor for productivity and quality.
– The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization, Macmillan, 1933
 “Hawthorn Effect”- the conclusions by Mayo
– Workplaces are social environments
– Recognition, security, and a sense of belonging were more important to
productivity and morale than the physical environment
– a friendly relationship with the supervisor was very important in securing the
loyalty and cooperation of the team.
About motivation….

8. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 We all admire leaders that motivate and inspire us
 Motivation
– The one aspect of leadership mentors should apply
 Suggestion: A mentor is first and foremost a motivator
Mentor = Motivator

9. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Ownership!
– Motivation leads to ownership, ownership leads to innovation
 Ownership of each and every part of First Lego League project
– Research project
– Robot design
– Programming
– Marketing
 Ownership of the Core Values
– and how to apply them
Motivate to achieve what?

10. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 The goal
– Innovative products
– Innovative ideas
 How to reach the goal?
– Small innovative steps that help reach the goal in long term
– Moments of inspiration
What kind of innovation?

11. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Examples of having achieved ownership - moments of inspiration
– Realizing a gyro sensor could be used to solve a task
– Choosing to develop own robot design
– Looking for inspiration in other teams
• Adding innovative solutions – “Dog Gear”, “Worm Gear”
• Designing the robot by learning from the best teams
– Implementing the solution in the project
• Creating a promotional film for a marketing campaign
 Suggestion: Moments of inspiration define successful mentor
FIRST Lego League - small innovative steps

12. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 How to achieve student thinking out-of-box?
– Do not teach them too much! Let students own and innovate
 Mentor is not a teacher
– Even though mentor could be a teacher by profession
 How do you teach innovation?
– Particularly to children
 Motivation leads to ownership, ownership leads to innovation
– Because of inherent curiosity in children
From ownership to innovation

13. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Is there a definition of the role?
 Merriam-Webster Dictionary
– a trusted counselor or guide, tutor or coach
 Mentor from Greek mythology:
• a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus
 What are the specific tasks for a FIRST Lego League mentor?
– Administration
– Logistics
– What about teaching?
– What about motivation?
Mentor role in FIRST Lego League project

14. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 For out-of-classroom mentor
– Set aside your professional competence
 For school teachers
– use the classroom lessons to motivate
– be motivational leader
 In general
– focus on motivation and ownership and Core Values
– learn just enough of the challenge to be able to kick start the project
 As I often say to the FLL teams I am coaching:
– You pave the way, my role is just to help you stay on the way
Patterns for motivational mentor

15. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 “The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own
reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein
 So what is the goal?
– Perhaps the most innovative prize in a FLL tournament now
– Or….
– Innovation on global scale where the FLL students of today take part in 10 to
15 years from now
• That is the prize I am aiming for
The Ultimate Goal

16. E N A B L I N G E F F I C I E N T H E A L T H C A R E
 Mentor = Motivator
 Motivate to achieve Ownership
 Ownership leads to Innovation
 Small innovation steps – moments of inspiration
 How to achieve innovation?
– As a mentor focus on motivation and ownership
– Set aside your professional competence
– Learn just enough to be able to kick-start the project
 The ultimate goal is innovation on global scale in long term
Summary