Elevate Your Data Science Abilities: Learn Resourcefulness
Join me in this new series where we explore the soft-skills that will elevate your effectiveness as a data scientist
What is Resourcefulness?
The coconut octopus is perhaps one of the most resourceful animals in the world. Octopi are commonly known for their intelligence, but the coconut octopus stands out from the rest due to one amazing trait: they often carry coconuts and seashells to be used as armored protection.
Because they are usually 3 to 6 inches in length and non-poisonous, protection is a must to avoid being lunch for another marine animal. But that is not all. These resourceful undersea creatures are capable of bipedal locomotion, better known as walking. Talk about amazing!
To be resourceful is to have the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. It is to be a problem solver with the resources you have at hand. And in data science we have no shortage of problems that we need to solve in completing our work.
I grew up in New Zealand and we have an expression that we can build or fix anything using number 8 fencing wire. We also refer to this as kiwi ingenuity, which is a can-do attitude and ability to think laterally to solve a problem.
In New Zealand we take pride in being a resourceful people, but I was not born with this skill. I had to learn it. It is a skill that requires deliberate practice and attention to develop it. But when you do, it is a skill that will bring countless benefits to you and your employer.
What Are the Benefits of Being Resourceful?
- Resourceful people are open-minded: they are open to new ideas, opinions and challenges. Resourceful people are avid readers and explorers and are always learning.
- Resourceful people are self-assured: they are equally confident in what they know and in what they do not know. Resourceful people dare to ask for what they need.
- Resourceful people are creative: this is where the concepts of number 8 wire and ingenuity come in to play the most. Resourceful people are open to new and different solutions. They do not believe that a problem must be solved one way because it always has been.
- Resourceful people are proactive: they will not sit on their hands and wait for a solution to arrive. Resourceful people will stand up and take the lead, gathering like-minded colleagues to join them for the journey.
- Resourceful people are persistent: they know that there are many ways to solve a problem and that sometimes the problem will not be solved on the first attempt. But, they will keep on trying until it is done.
- Resourceful people are problem solvers: when faced with a new problem, resourceful people have the skills to both apply past learnings and to seek out new knowledge to find the best solutions.
- Resourceful people are adaptable: they are not bound to a single approach to all problems and will gladly seek out the advice of colleagues to find alternative ways. In fact, they feel accomplished when they do.
How Do I Become Resourceful?
At the heart of it, being resourceful is about physical action. Here are some tangible ways for you to develop and demonstrate your resourcefulness:
- Hone your research skills: In my mind, being resourceful is about knowing how and where to find the information that you need. Create a directory of useful resources that you can research when the need arises. As data scientists there are many resources at our disposal, often at no cost: Google Search, Git Hub, Medium, Stack Overflow and many more. Oftentimes you do not need to reinvent the wheel, as the solution or at least tidbits that will help get you there are already available.
- Leverage your network: It cannot be overstated how important it is to have a strong network to reach out to. Do not be afraid to reach out to former colleagues, business partners and industry experts to ask for help. In addition to obtaining information to help you solve your current problem, you may also learn new skills to add to your toolkit for working on future problems.
- Continually develop new skills: There is no better way to be resourceful than to add to the resources available to you. In data science there are always new tools, techniques and methods to learn. Keep up to date.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses: The better that you understand these, the quicker you can determine whether you already have the resources and knowledge needed to solve the problem or whether you need to dive into research or reach out to your network.
- Give yourself time to think and strategize: A pause to determine your strategy for solving a problem, what resources are required and where you can obtain them will pay endless dividends.
- Be better at leveraging what you already have: A key to resourcefulness is understanding what resources you already have at your fingertips and how best to use them. It is oftentimes quicker and easier to use what you already have than to seek the resources elsewhere. But, also key is to quickly identify when you do not have what you need.
In addition to being a skill, resourcefulness is a mind-set, an attitude. Being resourceful requires a conscious effort to take action.
Concluding Remarks
To achieve what you want, you should not have to rely on the resources that you have or have not got. Your ability to become a resourceful person depends on how you use what you already have and how you obtain what you do not have but need.
As Tony Robbins once said, it is not the lack of resources, it is your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.
I have no doubt that my resourcefulness has led to successes in my career and in life. In fact, I enjoy the challenge of solving problems and I enjoy searching for solutions.
If you too become a resourceful person, you will influence others around you with better thinking and more creativity.
Please also check out my series Learn Python Data Analytics by Example:
