Self Evaluation Alexander S

Reading over all of the hats I easily decided that I naturally tend to be a “judge”.  When a problem is presented to me, my first thoughts are that of a typical judge.  Looking at a problem, or anything for that matter, with a fresh and clean perspective is always a thought going through my head.  To me, having a bias can hinder the ability to solve a problem or improve something too often.  I always try to put myself in the shoes of every type of person looking at a problem.  Without the ability to think for everyone instead of yourself individually will most likely benefit a limited amount of people depending on the particular problem you are solving.  Because of the values I personally hold, I definately fit into the judge category.

If I had to choose a hat that fits me the second most, the explorer would be that hat.  Like the judge, the explorer is looking out of the box for something.  The judge would be trying to look at a problem through others eyes, as the explorer would be looking for a solution that has not been looked at ever before.  I tend to seek out my own personal solution to a particular problem, and hopefully solve the problem with no outside help. For me, this is exploring because it is something I have never dealt with or seen before.  And out of this exploring, I learn and instill ideas that stay with me far longer than if I were to just go out and learn how to solve something for what others have already done.  This is not to say that exploring can not be learning for what others have done and simply taking it to the next step.

The next hat I would like to cover myself in is the warrior.  Actually putting all the work, judging, exploring, manipulating, all into action.  This is what is the fun step.  I enjoy being the warrior, although I wouldnt consider myself to be particularly better at being a warrior than a judge or and explorer.  I feel that I excel at judging and exploring far over being a warrior.  I feel that  this is the hat that I want to improve in the most.  Being an engineer involves wearing all of these hats, and especially this hat.

Last, there is the artist.  Manipulating theories, ideas, and solutions are all part of being an artist.  In the way most think of an artist, being creative and such, I would be quick to say that is not me.  But in the true aspect, I am definately an artist.  I do like to change things around, and create new things out of exsisting ones. I feel that being an artist is almost like being a smart explorer.  Like an explorer, with references.  The artist must create and find new things just like the explorer, yet he is doing these based on manipulations of the already exsisting.  I like to use the references to my advantage and be an artist, just making sure not to stay too close to what has already been done before.  Without making things my own, I tend to lose interest and not really invest myself into the problem.