Leadership: Learn from the Astronauts

I believe people never should sell themselves short, but, unfortunately, in my 20 years in the fire service, I have seen many firefighters do exactly that. Admittedly, I even did it on occasion. These self-imposed limitations often come from a place of fear and involve trying to promote to a higher rank. I have thought and I heard others say such things as, “I can’t score high enough on the written examination” or “I can’t seem to overcome that assessment panel.” Unsurprisingly, this negativity can affect our ability to reach our full professional potential and to realize the dream of promoting.

I also often noticed firefighters, who are looking for inspiration and lessons in leadership, look only within the ranks of the fire service. Of course, there are many great examples of leadership in the fire service, and we should go to this well frequently for guidance and inspiration. However, I believe that it’s imperative for people, no matter what they do, to seek inspiration and guidance from many sources, not just from those who share the same career. When it comes to something as important as leadership, we should seek information from multiple sources.

I believe that these two issues are connected and, when people seek multiple sources of inspiration and advice on how to lead, they can improve their own leadership skills and abilities. They also can find the inspiration that’s needed to overcome whatever adversity that is stifling their ability to promote, to better themselves both personally and professionally, and to become an example of great leadership and a source of inspiration to their colleagues.

‘We choose to go to the moon’

There are several different places where a firefighter can look for examples of good leadership. The many great accomplishments of the United States are full of them, perhaps the most inspirational example being the historic space race and the stories of the astronauts who achieved President John F. Kennedy’s declaration of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” The accounts of these individuals who answered JFK’s challenge aren’t only inspirational but also contain many prime examples of great leadership.

As a kid, I was in awe of firefighters and astronauts. These were people brave enough to run into a burning building or blast off into space. I remember the shock that I felt in 1986 when seven astronauts died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and when two Oklahoma City firefighters died fighting a house fire in 1989. Both incidents were a profound life lesson to a young man who believed that these people were invincible.

As an adult, I still find astronauts to be a great source of inspiration and amazing examples of great leadership. The more that I learn about them, the more that I want to share this knowledge with others in the fire service and to use what I learn to be a better company officer.

The historic Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs are fascinating examples of what people can accomplish. Recently, I became more of a student of the subject, reading several books about the space race and the people who were involved. As I researched these historic accomplishments in books, such as “A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts,” by Andrew Chaikin, and “Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon,” by Jeffrey Kluger, it wasn’t the technical aspects of space flight that stood out for me. It was the multiple examples of outstanding leadership from astronauts, such as Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan and Frank Borman. The inspirational accounts of how people continually solved every problem that they faced, often with the lives of their friends and co-workers on the line, stood out for me as well.

The questions of what makes a great leader or where to find inspiration during times of adversity will get a variety of answers. In regard to leadership, particularly when asking firefighters or astronauts, such words as “decisive” or “brave” may be used. When asked who inspires them, they might mention one of their commanding officers or a senior member of their crew who mentored them.

Of course, there are only so many examples of good leadership qualities that can be discussed in one article. Obviously, the topic of what inspires people can’t be summarized in a few hundred words. The point of this article isn’t to describe every example of great leadership or to share every example of inspiration that I found while researching these extraordinary people. I just hope that by sharing a few examples, it might help fellow firefighters become better leaders and perhaps provide a source of inspiration when needed.

Leaders show gratitude

It is very important for a leader to show gratitude for all of the people who made it possible to accomplish a goal. Gratitude is a common theme throughout all of the different astronaut stories. In his book, “The Last Man on the Moon: One Man’s Part in Mankind’s Greatest Adventure,” Cernan, who was the commander of Apollo 17, recounted his feelings just before leaving the surface of the moon on what would be the last Apollo mission. He wrote, “Every man and woman who put in long hours to get us to the Moon now stood with me … ” and “Every astronaut who had gone into space, who made it possible for me to fly a little higher, stay a little longer, was at my side. These were the giants upon whose shoulders I stood as I reached for the stars.”

Another tremendous gesture of gratitude is mentioned by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in his book, “Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journey.” Collins recalled the idea behind creating the mission patch for the first lunar landing. Traditionally, the names of the astronauts would be on the mission patch. However, in this case they broke with tradition. Collins wrote, “We wanted to keep our three names off it because we wanted the design to be representative of everyone who had worked toward a lunar landing, and there were thousands who could take a proprietary interest in it, yet who would never see their names woven into the fabric of a patch.”

Approximately 400,000 people worked to accomplish the moon landing but, more than likely, the average American only can name a few of the more famous astronauts. Undoubtedly, one of those would be Neil Armstrong, who probably is the most famous astronaut of them all. He was the picture of gratitude when, in an interview, he spoke of all of the people who helped to make Apollo 11 a success: “It’s their success more than ours.”

It sometimes is overlooked that it isn’t just firefighters who accomplish the department’s mission. Essential support personnel, such as Supply, Dispatch and the apparatus maintenance garage, are deserving of our gratitude, and it’s imperative that field personnel show the others that they have it. This can be accomplished by any variety of ways, including recognition in a monthly newsletter or a simple “thank you” the next time that your crew drops by Supply. It’s a simple yet important gesture that builds a better, stronger organization.

Understand the need for diplomacy

Firefighters know that living at the firehouse can be one of the most enjoyable as well as one of the most challenging parts of the job. For days at a time, the firefighter family works, trains and lives together under the same roof. Unfortunately, just like regular families, sometimes there are conflicts and disagreements that must be reconciled in the most diplomatic way possible, and a leader must make sure this happens.

Take a moment and think about a disagreement that happened at your firehouse. Now imagine it in a room the size of a small bathroom that you are stuck in for 8–12 days. That was what it was like for the three crewmembers of the Apollo missions. Strong type-A personalities and tight living quarters can be a recipe for uncomfortable situations, and a leader’s ability to handle disagreements with diplomacy can make all of the difference in the outcome.

Throughout the Apollo program, there are multiple examples of leaders who exercised diplomacy, but perhaps the best example would help shape one of the most significant events in history. Prior to the Apollo 11 launch, discussions about who should be the first to walk on the moon began to circulate. Apparently, it was no secret that Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin believed that he should be the first to step foot on the lunar surface, because he was the lunar module pilot. Others believed that the distinction should go to Armstrong, because he was the commander.

Rather than let the issue become something that could interfere with the mission and create hard feelings, Deke Slayton, who was the director of flight crew operations, addressed it in the most diplomatic and logical way possible. It was decided that, because Armstrong was the mission commander and senior astronaut, he would be first to exit the lunar module—as well as the fact that, because of their physical position inside of the spacecraft, it would be easier that way, because Armstrong was the one who was closest to the hatch. Having made the decision, Slayton had a meeting with both astronauts to address the situation, explaining how and why the decision was made. Not everyone at NASA agreed with his decision, but it was appreciated and respected that Slayton didn’t let the situation fester into something that could distract attention from the mission and that he showed the leadership to address it with both tact and diplomacy.

If you are a leader at your fire station, eventually you must address and rectify a disagreement. Granted, most disagreements at the firehouse don’t have the historical implication of the one that Slayton addressed, but to the people who are involved, the disagreements can be very personal and important. As a fire service leader, it’s imperative that you address these situations before they negatively affect the mission of your organization and cause division among the crew. For this to happen successfully, the use of diplomacy is essential.

Maintain focus and resolve

From their first day, firefighters are told there are no routine fires. This well-known adage is drilled into the minds of firefighters, so they remember that, at any moment, what seems to be a run-of-the-mill incident can take a dramatic and potentially deadly turn. Throughout their career, firefighters learn how this is true not only for fires but all the types of incidents to which they respond. When firefighters move into a leadership role, they must help new firefighters understand this while maintaining focus and resolve when ordinary circumstances suddenly become extraordinary.

The history of NASA is rich with examples of extraordinary circumstances and, with them, of great lessons of extraordinary leadership. One of these examples is one of NASA’s most amazing accomplishments and another is one of the darkest days in NASA history.

Rookie astronaut Roger Chaffee couldn’t have asked for better leadership than he had with his first crew. Commander Virgil “Gus” Grissom and Pilot Ed White both were veteran astronauts: Grissom flew in the Mercury and Gemini programs, and White was the first American to spacewalk, during the Gemini 4 mission. These three men were the first crew of the Apollo program, but, tragically, Apollo 1 never made it into space. On Jan. 27, 1967, during a routine test, a fire broke out in the cockpit, killing all three astronauts within seconds. “The Fire,” as it would come to be known, not only would shake the space program to its core but also test the leadership of those who were left behind who would investigate the accident, correct the issues and then get their people refocused on the mission. This tragic history lesson should remind all of us who serve as first responders that sometimes the most “routine” exercises suddenly can become deadly.

One of the strongest leaders during this challenging time also had a major role in one of NASA’s greatest achievements. Borman, who commanded Gemini 7, was the only astronaut who was selected to be part of the review board to investigate the Apollo 1 fire. He spent countless hours on the factory floor working with engineers to correct the issues that caused the death of his fellow astronauts. He also testified before both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which was instrumental in the continuation of NASA’s mission. As a representative of the space program, Borman’s testimony was candid, taking responsibility and ownership for the mistakes that were made that led to the accident. However, he also made it very clear to Congress that, although tragic, “The Fire” couldn’t be allowed to kill the mission, as it killed astronauts Grissom, White and Chaffee. He stated, “Let’s stop the witch hunt and get on with it.”

In December 1968, Borman’s leadership would be tested again as commander of Apollo 8. Just as the Apollo 1 fire measured Borman’s leadership skills during times of tragedy, Apollo 8 measured them during a time of triumph. As noted above, leaders often find themselves needing to refocus their crew’s attention in extraordinary situations, and situations don’t come much more extraordinary than being the first humans to see the surface of the moon from only 60 miles away.

In his book, Kluger describes the crew’s reaction while Apollo 8 orbited the moon. Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders were the first people in the history of mankind to see the dark side of the moon and witness the grandeur of Earthrise. Needless to say, this certainly was an extraordinary event. However, Apollo 8 wasn’t there to sightsee; the mission of identifying potential landing sites for future lunar missions needed to be accomplished. Although the splendor of his location certainly wasn’t lost on Borman, it was his job as leader to keep his crew focused on the mission goals.

Borman’s resolve following the loss of Apollo 1 and his focus during the success of Apollo 8 are great examples of leadership. Firefighters don’t want to find themselves in front of a fact-finding committee following a tragic accident that involved their colleagues. If it happens, they should strive to show honesty and ownership while making it clear that the mission must continue. Although all firefighters want their crew to be part of an extraordinary accomplishment, it is vital that they remain focused on the task at hand during the mission until the mission benchmarks are achieved.

Overcoming any obstacle

Showing gratitude, diplomacy, focus and resolve are just a few things that all fire service leaders must do. These leadership tools can’t be talked about and then put on a shelf. They should be constantly practiced by any firefighter who wants to be an effective leader and to inspire others.

That said, exhibiting gratitude, diplomacy, focus and resolve aren’t necessarily remarkable actions. In fact, they only are small steps that help an organization take a giant leap forward.