Engineers are widely regarded as intelligent, talented, and hardworking individuals, but few people think of them as natural leaders. Engineering leaders may not always think or work exactly like conventional managers, but they do bring many valuable qualities to the workplace. Most are simply undeserving of the unfair criticism they receive from people who don’t understand the complexities of their work. Highlighted below are a few of the most destructive myths about engineers and leadership:

1. Engineers can’t be creative.

Engineers and their managers aren’t always proficient artists or wordsmiths, but they do hold the potential for creativity. It’s just a different, more subtle take on creativity. Engineers are, at heart, creators, and when allowed to approach problems in their own unique way, they can come up with some truly innovative solutions.