With the landing of the final space shuttle this morning, I pause and reflect on the role that the space program has had in our nation’s history. The 1961 words of President John F. Kennedy’s proclamation to Congress gave purpose to the organization called NASA, and gave more than a generation of Americans an invitation to be a part of a dream whose idea had only been seen in Hollywood movies and Marvel comic books.
More importantly, it demonstrated the importance that vision plays in the role of leadership.
Kennedy’s words to America, “to commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth”, provided a vision to a nation struggling to establish itself as a leader in the field of space travel. More importantly, his comments highlight the importance of four components to a vision that fuel inspiration and drive action.
A Specific Task. Landing a man on the moon. It doesn’t get plainer than that – no ambiguity, and nothing left to chance. As leaders, it’s important to state a vision that is clear on what you expect. Don’t leave anything to interpretation.
A Big Idea Shared. Kennedy’s comments drew Americans together by asking for a shared commitment. You didn’t have to become an astronaut to be committed to a space program. His words invited you to join the journey, and to become part of something that sounded exciting. People like to be a part of something big, and to have something behind which to rally.
A Deadline. A deadline of less than 10 years probably sounded ludicrous to a nation that was so far behind the Russians in the space race at that moment in time. By doing this, he created importance in his vision, and helped set priorities against initiatives that were competing for time and resources. It’s important for a vision to have a timeframe. It makes progress measurable, and helps a sense of urgency.
A Personal Connection. By stipulating that we “return him safely to Earth”, the President set a non-negotiable boundary condition, and reminded people that this was about people, not machines. Nothing draws a stronger personal connection than safety. By creating a personal connection, leaders engage the human spirit by creating a personal bond to the vision.
John F. Kennedy’s immortal words stand as one of the most significant vision statements in our nation's history. The resulting outcome went far beyond his stated objective. We indeed landed a man on the moon and brought him back safely by the end of the decade. But the contributions that the space program brought to science, engineering, medicine and education are infinite. The best leaders understand that great vision goes beyond the initial statement. They know that along the way of achieving that vision, people will find many ways to go beyond their personal best, and discover collateral benefits and rewards. They do this because they are inspired to become a part of a great story, and grow in the process.
In this case, a great vision challenged us to reach for the stars.
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