I have made so many mistakes and still do.. I just try and make them less often..

What am I bad at?

I think there are 5 or so key things that as an engineer, I do inherently badly.

Mistake 1 – Most people are not as clever or logical or scientific as me, therefore I do not need to listen to them.

I do this all the time, and usually at most expense to myself.
Of particular relevance in the context of this site, is my early belief that I did not need to learn business things, as they are all obvious. For example:

• Anyone with a Maths qualification can do a profit and loss account.
• If the product is good, everyone will beat a path to my door.
• Books on business are written by people who just didn’t have the cleverness to do something more challenging and important such as Physics or engineering..

From these thoughts, I had the view (and often still take the Mickey) that anything to do with business is not proper science, and just subjective non prove-able views that I could easily work out better for myself! This leads on to the more specific issues in mistake 2..

Skill 1 - I now try to think of business as a science..

Mistake 2 -  Business skills are just common sense.

I think this is true-ish, but just because it is common sense, does not mean I am commonly sensible. I’ve fallen into the most obvious traps. Maybe I do it less now, mostly I think from having done them so many times, AND from reading business books that reinforce the common sense that I should be practicing. The business books (the well written ones) explain business things in a very scientific way, and often have little time for techniques that do not have a sound basis on which to make decisions. Staggeringly easy to read and understand by engineers.. and fun..

Skill 2 - Read lots..

Mistake 3 – Taking things to heart

When I get a good idea, but no one else thinks its good, I loose heart easily. I love people to be as excited about things as I am. I try and explain things to non-technical people, and they lose interest and switch off. Don’t take it to heart – you can make things happen without anyone else’s support. A good technique I was taught in a management course once was the idea of keeping things to yourself until they are ready for the outside world. The technique is to initially keep the spark of an idea to yourself, and not sharing it until a good flame has got going. Then share it with people you trust most. If they see flaws, again do not take them to heart, but see the issue from their point of view. Then, IMPROVE your idea, don’t squash it.

Skill 3 - get a bit tougher.. You are cool, but maybe the idea needs changing..

Mistake 4 – Not explaining things in simple language

The number of times I have lost the interest of my family in the first sentence of a conversation are countless. I now try and use non technical words, and don’t keep talking for longer than 10seconds, without some sign of encouragement or feedback from the listener. Often from a business viewpoint, I have to often explain the product to people not as technically gifted or knowledgeable. Try and use analogies and scenarios to explain the advantages of your product, not just what it does..

Skill 4 - Try to talk and write in shorter simple words with a storyness to them..

Mistake 5 – Thinking that people want to hear what you have to say

This is humbling. Lots of stuff in good advertising books on this. To talk with humility and as though to a single person are two suggestions often repeated in expert books on the subject. If no one wants to listen, shut up. The more you bore them, the less they will want to listen to you when you really have got something important to say.

Skill 5 - Don't talk bollocks..

Mistake 6 – Not talking enough

Engineers can think logically and in a disciplined way. Ask questions and be persistent to get the answers or clarity that you need. You need to understand how bank managers, business people, advertising agencies or salesman wrok. If they can not articulate it clearly, then ask more good questions to keep delving into the logic of their proposed course of action, until you properly understand why. This is not being stupid or prying, it just being sensible in a situation that may be life, business or financially changing. Many of my worst decisions have been born from being shy in delving deeper into the exact reasons for a course of action that someone is stating is important. This for me has been with banks, business partnerships and artistic/advertising type work. If no one can explain why, then don’t do it. That for me means talking and asking more questions until you do understand, or you realise they are taking you for a ride..

Skill 6 - Ask tricky questions, even to bank managers..

A few extra thoughts that have not got another place to go yet..

Money is jolly tricky to do without, but even when you have none, hard work makes things happen. No, this is not meant to be a corny line - it does.. You just have to keep at it..

Bouncing back. Many successful businesses started with very little money, or made some, then lost it.. Then came the tricky bit, they had to bounce back... The tricky thing is bouncing back - that is where the family and or business partner can really help..

Good colleagues can help be just clear minded and focused on getting from one step to the next.

Amateurish mistakes. Still making these.. The first one I remember was with the bank manager. He asked me why they should lend me money (against my house). I told them I had a better mousetrap.. He believed me and lent me money. The amateurish thing was that I thought that was the most difficult bit done. All I needed now was to make my product and sell them. A repossessed house later, it was clear that getting some money to start things off is not the tricky bit.. Making it actually work as a business is the tricky bit.. Engineering and cleverness is ok, but can you run a business?

These are skills not generally taught at engineering schools or universities. They are also skills that engineers may feel are below them. (mistake #1)

And the old adage, that "someone who never did anything wrong, never did anything.." holds still.. I am bound to screw up along the road.. keeping going with enthusiasm is the trick.. See Chapter 3 on business partners..