Moonshot by Mike Massimino

Author:Mike Massimino [MASSIMINO, MIKE]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hachette Books
Published: 2023-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

AFTER THIS AND OTHER LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES, I started to develop my own corollary to the First Rule of Leadership. I call it the “Bank of Good Thoughts.” What helped me with Sam was that, by getting to know him, I learned his value. I also realized we had shared priorities and dreams, such as the fact that we both had the same childhood goal and we were both dedicated to saving the Hubble. I then took those good thoughts and stored them away in my “bank” for when I needed them.

Because I did need them. The challenges of working with and leading a team did not just magically vanish overnight. On every team I led or worked with in the future, we still had communication problems, still had difficulties fully integrating the team. But every time one of those problems arose, because I had this Bank of Good Thoughts I’d stored away about every team member, I was able to remind myself why I liked working with people despite the challenges. Instead of getting annoyed and thinking, “Oh, here we go again!” I’d say to myself, “This person is a brilliant and dedicated engineer and always means well, so let’s try to understand what they are not communicating properly. Let me help them refine that thought for the team.” With this approach, I was able to tackle every problem in a positive frame of mind, always looking for a solution rather than just getting pessimistic and throwing in the towel.

Keeping a Bank of Good Thoughts about your coworkers and others isn’t some “let’s all hold hands and pretend everyone’s great and everything’s fine” type of mentality. It’s actually the opposite. It’s recognizing that everyone on the team has shortcomings, and everyone is going to end up disagreeing with one another or disappointing one another some of the time. We all make mistakes. We say things we don’t mean. We get short-tempered because we’re having a bad day. As the team leader, you need to address these issues, but before you do, go to the Bank of Good Thoughts. Think of something good that the offending teammate did in the past, think about why you care for and admire them and why they’re an important part of the team. Put a good thought in your head first and then address the problem, because that will lead you to solving it in a constructive, positive way.

Conversely, letting bad thoughts about a teammate drive your decision-making can lead to irreversible damage. When you always assume negative things about people, when you ascribe bad motives to simple mistakes, when you believe that everyone’s worst day is who they are all the time, then failure is practically preordained. It will not lead to a positive outcome to whatever situation you’re in. You just can’t do it. If you do, the worst-case scenario in your mind becomes its own self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, to help you follow through on the First Rule of Leadership, always go to the Bank of Good Thoughts first.

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