Hello everyone. I have been traveling a lot lately, and I have had a bit of time to think about all those aspects of an NLP engineer/researcher role that we don’t really talk about. Most of the time we compare projects, resources, courses, university programs, and all the other aspects that sharpen our hard skills. But what soft skills will help you become a better engineer? Let’s find out!
Soft Skills are Fundamental
Imagination among the Skills to Become a Better Engineer
Imagination is one of those fundamental skills that will help you no matter what you do in life. If you are an engineer, a researcher, or a developer, it is particularly important. Engineers and tech people get the bad rep of being all work and no play, very meticulous, matter-of-fact and unimaginative people. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Think about all the great inventions that pushed the boundaries of human life forward: they all came from people with a vivid imagination. They imagined not only new solutions to everyday problems and challenges: they imagined a new world, a world changed (arguably for the better) by the innovation they brought to the table.
That’s right, innovation and imagination go hand in hand. And would you ever hire a candidate or buy a product that was presented as not innovative? I didn’t think so. So why would you ever settle for someone that has no imagination?
How to Sharpen your Imagination Skills
Now, I know what you are thinking. Girl, that’s all nice and well, but what if I am not an imaginative person? Am I doomed?
No. No one has zero imagination. Imagination is something the human mind is born with. When we are kids, we tend to be inquisitive and imaginative. These skills might become a bit rusty if they are not used over time, but imagining is a bit like biking. You can always get back to it. And the good news is, there are plenty of ways you can sharpen your imaginative skills. I, for example, like to read tarots: looking at the beautiful illustration and trying to develop a story, understand the characters at play, and getting in touch with my emotion, helps me sharpen my little imaginative brain.
Fun Games to Play
Not everyone might want to dip into the ancient art of Tarot, but here are three flexible approaches you can try out:
- What ifs – think about an animal, an object, or a person, and a color, a place, or an emotion. Then, you can try to imagine what would happen if you put the two together. For example, what if elephants were pink? Ask yourself as many questions as possible on the subject: how would they hide from predators? Why are they pink? What other changes in the environment would that entail?
- What would I need/what do I want – these are two versions of a very fun game. Sit down, and think about a problem you face daily. Now think about what would you need to solve it. How would your life change? What would the solution bring as a benefit? How could you achieve it? Otherwise, think about something you might want right at this moment. For example, I might want a nice glass of coke right now. How would it make me feel? How would it look? Would it be cold, hot? The glass would be tall, clear, or short and colorful? Try to visualize in your mind as many details as possible.
- Alternative history – you might have seen this one on TBBT; how would the world be right now, if somewhere in the past, something went the other direction?
Creativity is One of the Skills to Become a Better Engineer
Now, many may think that creativity and imagination are basically the same thing. Not quite. Creativity is the art of being able to create the things you imagine. Getting all those amazing world you imagined out of your head, and put them on a painting, in writing, in song, in a piece of software, so that you can share them with the world.
Creativity means showing others all the beautiful worlds you have inside.
There are many ways you can get creative. Think about your hobbies, or the little things you do every day, and turn them into a game: you are not going grocery shopping, you are going on a scavenger hunt, and you get to make up the rules! You are not cleaning the house, you are rearranging your furniture, changing your space. Pick up a new hobby, get dirty with colors and paint, start playing the guitar. You don’t have to be good at it, you just have to do it, get out of your comfort zone and create something.
How Will Creativity and Imagination Help You Become A Better Engineer?
Ok, that’s all well and good, but how are this skills going to help you in your career? As I said, there will be plenty of times when you are facing challenges that require a bit of thinking outside the box. Being imaginative and creative will help you solve those issues, in a fun, unique way. Being able to see problems as opportunities will make your job less aggravating at times, and these qualities will make you stand out in your profession. I once got a job offer because of how creatively I solved a test question!
You get the gist. I hope you can see how creativity and imagination are among the skills to become a better engineer. It’s important to have fun and to keep being inquisitive and creative in your career, otherwise you lose all the magic, and, you lose your sparkle. So just go ahead and play!
