Every once in a while, I find a book that I am compelled to recommend. This time, it is What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20, by Dr. Tina Seelig who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and is the Executive Director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at Stanford University's School of Engineering. STVP is dedicated to accelerating high-technology entrepreneurship education and creating scholarly research on technology-based firms. The program provides students from all majors with the entrepreneurial skills needed to use innovations to solve major world problems. The book is a fast read and is packed with Dr. Seelig's interesting, thoughtful and powerful observations on creativity and entrepreneurship that you can apply at work and at home. I am happy to introduce you to Dr. Seelig.
Dr. Hank: How did your parents "stimulate" your creativity?
Dr. Seelig: My parents stimulated my creativity by encouraging me to ask lots of questions. Every dinner table conversation revolved around an interesting challenge, some of which were very serious and some that were quite playful. I distinctly remember my father suggesting we do a double-blind experiment, blindfolded, to see if we could tell the difference between black and green olives--and even measuring our pulses to see if we could be caught telling a lie! It was quite funny! Also, I remember that my first real present was a microscope, which I cherished. I collected all sorts of things, from buttons to butterfly wings, to examine at 50x magnification. I felt like a scientist and I've never lost that feeling of "examining life under the microscope" in my work today.
Dr. Hank: Tell us how neuroscience helps us understand and apply the "creative" process?
Dr. Seeling: Studying neuroscience is a terrific way to engage in creative thinking. Most fields, such as anatomy and physiology, have traditionally focused on using specific tools to study the body. Neuroscience, by definition, cuts across all research fields in an attempt to understand how the brain works. These are the same skills that are needed in all creative work. The most innovative ideas occur at the boundaries between disciplines, at the crossover point between established schools of thought, and in the white spaces that fall between traditional fields of study.
Dr. Hank: Has America and our school systems fallen behind in producing "creative" students?
Dr. Seeling: In short, yes. The typical classroom has a teacher who views his or her job as pouring information into the students' brains. The door to the room is closed and the chairs are bolted to the floor, facing the teacher. Students take careful notes, knowing they will be tested on the material later.
For homework they are asked to read assigned material from a textbook and quietly absorb it on their own. This couldn't be any more different from life after school, where you need to be creative every day. You are literally your own teacher, charged with figuring out what you need to know, where to find the information and how to absorb it. In fact, real life is the ultimate open book exam. The doors are thrown wide open, allowing you to creatively draw on endless resources around you as you tackle open-ended problems.
Dr. Hank: How are you different now than when you were twenty?
Dr. Seelig: In so many ways... I recently came across a letter I had written to myself a few weeks before I turned 20 and was humbled by what I read. Although I was a bright young woman with the world spread out in front of me, I was terrified. I was overwhelmed by the endless choices I had to make. I was insecure about making the wrong decisions, and struggling to reconcile what I wanted to do, with what I should do and could do.
Now, thirty years later, I realize that the uncertainty never disappears. I have come to understand that uncertainty is the essence of life - it is the fuel that propels us into new opportunities.
Dr. Hank: You are quite the entrepreneur--what do you like about being one?
Dr. Seelig: Entrepreneurship is all about identifying opportunities, leveraging limited resources and creating value. This can happen in all parts of one's life and in any organization. With an entrepreneurial attitude, individuals and groups can make amazing things happen. I have come to understand the importance of having an entrepreneurial mindset with everything one does. With practice, it becomes second nature and all problems start to look like opportunities in disguise.
Dr. Hank: You have achieved great success and respect in fields, such as engineering, that are traditionally a "man's world." What advice do you give your female students that want to follow in your footprints, or to other women who want to be successful in a "man's occupation."
Dr. Seelig: Female students often do things that undermine their own success. They are subtle things, such as prefacing a statement with "I think..." or not projecting confidence when speaking. I coach my students on this all the time. It is also important to put yourself out there. Don't wait for others to "anoint" you, but volunteer to take on leadership roles. Put yourself in a position to demonstrate what you can do, as opposed to waiting for others to notice it and offer positions where you can shine. And, don't be shy about sharing your accomplishments. If done with humility, it is perfectly fine to toot your own horn.
Dr. Hank: What are some of your current ventures?
Dr. SeeligI am very proud of my new book, What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20. This book describes a wide range of topics that I teach in my classes at Stanford on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. One of the things I talk about is the Global Innovation Tournament, that we host each year for students around the world. This is a fast-paced competition in which students must tap into their entrepreneurial skills to create as much value as possible using a simple object, such as a pack of post-it notes or a handful of rubber bands. This weeklong project is always inspiring. The student teams surprise me and themselves with the amazing things they can accomplish in one week. You can see many of the best submissions at our ECorner web site: http://ecorner.stanford.edu.... Just type "tournament" into the search bar.
Dr. Hank: I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy and creative life to share your thoughts. All I can say is that when I was 20, I wish I had a professor like you!
www.drhankw.com