But I am drawn to the more ambiguous metaphor for leadership in the scene that depicts the engineers in a room having to come up with the solution to the rising carbon monoxide levels.
"We need to make this (holding up a filter) fit into this (holding up the part
that holds an entirely different kind of filter) using nothing but this
(indicating a table full of random materials found in the space craft)."
The goal is intractable - they have to lower the carbon monoxide levels or the astronauts will run out of breathable air and die. The starting point and the tools are static - they have the tools and materials that they have - and that's it. The time is finite - they have to get this done without going over the time limit or people will die. They have to be innovative, use the tools and materials they have and get the job done.
Sound familiar? If not, it should. It's more often than not, the conundrum of our lives - professional and personal. We have to get from here to there with the tools in front of us often with a looming time, cost or quality constraint. So why do so many of us get overwhelmed and fail to accomplish our goals? Unlike the engineers in the scene, we tend to fail because we allow our emotions to get the better of us.
We feel irritation, frustration or self pity because it is unfair that we have to deal with something we would prefer not to have to face. We feel that our resources, tools or assets are flawed and inadequate resulting in bitterness or frustration that we don't have what we need in order to accomplish what we need to accomplish. We get angry or frustrated about the constraints on our time or the financial means we have to get something done. We allow these feelings to overwhelm us either completely of partially - and we don't get it done. And we feel sorry for ourselves.
The crew's jerry-rigged device, dubbed the "mail box," for removing carbon dioxide from the module's atmosphere. With help from mission personnel back on Earth, they rigged up this arrangement from the Command Module's lithium hydroxide canisters. From CNN.com/Space
Undoubtedly those NASA engineers were not delighted by the problem they faced. They were probably frustrated by the weight of their responsibility - and the seeming impossibility of their task. The resources on that table were inadequate and I'm sure that they felt angry that there weren't more options. But allowing themselves to fall victim to their feelings would not have allowed for the miraculous solution they provided to the crew of Apollo 13. They took on the task, assembled a solution and saved the lives of those astronauts who would become part of the "successful failure."
How can we translate this into life and leadership?
1. Focus on the goal - where are you trying to go and why? Do you know what you are trying to accomplish?
2. Understand and accept that "it is what it is." No matter how unfair the journey, this is where you are and being upset by it won't change anything. When you are done, you will still be exactly where you were before you're emotional response - only time will have passed and that may be debilitating to achieving your goals.
3. Accept and leverage the resources, tools and assets you have irrespective of their flaws and imperfections. This is what you have to work with - so get on with it and use them the best way you can.
The concept of emotional intelligence (EQ) has been around for quite some time. It is only with high EQ that these guidelines can be consistently applied. Daniel Goleman, author of "Emotional Intelligence" has identified 20 core EQ competencies:
PERSONAL
Self-Awareness
± Emotional Self-Awareness
± Accurate Self-Awareness
± Self Confidence
Self Management
± Emotional Self-Control
± Trustworthiness
± Conscientiousness
± Adaptability
± Achievement Orientation
± Initiative
SOCIAL
Social Awareness
± Empathy
± Organizational Awareness
± Service Awareness
Relationship Management
± Influence
± Inspirational Leadership
± Developing Others
± Building Bonds
± Teamwork and Collaboration
± Conflict Management
± Communication
± Change Catalyst
What do you have to work on to increase your EQ - so that you can more effectively achieve personal and professional goals? Be mission control engineers. Be Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) or Jim Lovell (Hanks) or Ken Mattingly (Sinese) in your pursuit of your goals. Success is about evolving. So start the evolution.
