I got thinking about something the other day. Starfleet engineers are famed for "turning rocks into replicators", as Keevan from DS9's "ROCKS AND SHOALS" rightly points out. But what makes a good CHIEF engineer? All the ones from our shows have their miracle working monents and episodes... all are quite capable, intelligent, creative, and adaptable. But from a leadership standpoint, who do you think was the best? For me, I think it would be a toss-up between La Forge and O'Brien. Geordi knew how to delegate well, enough so that he spent quite a lot of time on the Bridge. And he showed leadership in "The Arsenal of Freedom", among other times. And I think it is quite telling that in an alternate future we see him in command of a Galaxy class ship. With O'Brien, he also knew how to delegate, and I would argue he had a tougher job. Not just because of his duties with keeping the entire station running smoothly, but working on other starships, too, whether they were Starfleet or alien. And he gave some great command advice to Worf in "STARSHIP DOWN". Being able to teach is an important quality in leadership, and his becoming an instructor at Starfleet Academy at the end proves this. What do you all think?
Montgomery Scott. He was always slick when sitting in the captain's chair. See: "A Taste of Armageddon", "Friday's Child"
B’Ellana. (A) there are some that would follow her anywhere xD but more (B) you gonna disagree with her? Even Seven had to take a step back. She also had the best track record for getting stuff done with what she had, slightly edging out o’brien and Movie Era Scott.
If you take Scotty from the original series and through the movies, he wins. He was the best. He was the miracle worker. However, if you take Scotty from the Next Gen episode, Relics, then I reference this exchange with Geordi. Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Look, Mr. Scott, I'd love to explain everything to you, but the Captain wants this spectrographic analysis done by 1300 hours. [La Forge goes back to work; Scotty follows slowly] Scotty: Do you mind a little advice? Starfleet captains are like children. They want everything right now and they want it their way. But the secret is to give them only what they need, not what they want. Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Yeah, well, I told the Captain I'd have this analysis done in an hour. Scotty: How long will it really take? Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: An hour! Scotty: Oh, you didn't tell him how long it would *really* take, did ya? Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Well, of course I did. Scotty: Oh, laddie. You've got a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker. A funny exchange to be sure but it's almost a retcon and I hate retcons so I'm still going with Scotty
There was also "Return of the Archons" and "The Apple" where Scotty was in command. I think that is one thing the Abrams films missed on, was the chance to have Scott in the captain's chair.
That exchange was just a callback to the humorous one between Kirk and Scotty at the beginning of STIII: TSFS. I always took both to mean that there was how fast the book said something would take, and how fast Scotty would take to do it. He'd conservatively give estimates based on the book, then routinely exceed them because he knew what corners could be cut.
On this topic, Geordi said, "If I can tech the tech while teching the tech and keeping the tech tech tech online, that just might put me over the top." Then, suddenly he lost the techno tech and it put him out the running. "I'll have to run a Level 3 Diagnostic, then re-initiate and re-tech the tech and in order to compensate for tech."
Got to go with Montgomery Scott on this one, any half decent Engineer would allow extra time in estimates for any unforeseen circumstances. Besides if you look at the exchange about Scotty padding his repair estimates from TSFS the exchange comes off as light hearted banter between two long time shipmates. Second place I would give to O'Brien
Christopher Pike's chief engineer. We never saw him on the bridge, because he stayed in the engine room where he belonged. (Although I think he was one of the officers in the briefing room when they decide to use the big laser on the Talosian elevator doors.)
Perhaps those engineers who could spend time outside of engineering where the better ones as their presence wasn't needed due to factors like 1.>A Good team 2.>The maintenance they and their team did was of very high standard.