It Won’t Fail Because Of Me
A few weeks before his Apollo 16 voyage began, Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly (who also flew on Apollo 13) went to the launch pad and took a look at his Saturn V rocket that would take him and two other crew members to the moon.
He understood the basic design.
He knew the parts and pieces that he absolutely had to know.
But the vehicle was comprised of several millions parts, each of which had been designed, manufactured, tested, and installed by someone other than him. The scope of the Apollo project was beyond the grasp of any one mind.
Mattingly took the elevator up to the section where the third stage of the Saturn V met the spacecraft adapter, and he stepped through the open hatchway in to what was essentially a huge metallic ring lined with pipes, valves, electrical cable, and control units. There was a single technician working in there who, upon recognizing Mattingly, said “I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like for you, riding at the top of this thing. But I can tell you this: It won’t fail because of what I do.”
In leadership, it is essential that you inspire and motivate your team to excellence. It’s not just about ownership over the task or role, it’s about pride in the work and a commitment to deliver something extraordinary. Then, as a leader, demonstrate those same core values that you wish to instill in your team.
The reason that the Apollo project was a success at all is because thousands of people said to themselves, “It won’t fail because of me.”
