On July 16, 1969, the world watched and waited as 3 astronauts rocketed their way toward the moon. The flight actually began on May 25, 1961 when President Kennedy laid out a bold vision of space exploration including, “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”
In a matter of days, the Lunar Module named Eagle, would disengage from the Command Module named Columbia and gently land on the lunar surface. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would utter phrases that are still part of our vernacular today. Those phrases include, “The Eagle has landed,” and “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
While Armstrong and Aldrin would be hailed for being the first humans to step foot on another planet, there was a third astronaut on the mission who was largely forgotten. Michael Collins was the pilot of the Command Module, Columbia, and continued to orbit the moon as Armstrong and Aldrin collected moon rocks and performed scientific experiments down below.
No one could have imagined the “aloneness” Collins would experience aboard Columbia being 250,000 miles from Earth and at times out of radio contact with his companions. Add to that the anxiety Collins felt with regard to the mission potentially ending in disaster. Should the Lunar Module’s engine fail to ignite, Armstrong and Aldrin would be stranded on the moon with no hope. Collins would return to Earth as the sole survivor. Armstrong believed they only had a 50-50 chance of success. President Nixon was prepared to deliver a speech in the event the mission ended in failure. He would have attempted to comfort a grieving nation with the words, “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the Moon to rest in peace.”
As it turns out, the mission was an overwhelming success and 8 days after lifting off from Cape Kennedy, Apollo 11’s Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean carrying all 3 astronauts. The names of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are known world round, while Michael Collins fell into relative obscurity. To this day, Michael Collins has no regrets about his role in the mission.
Much can be learned from Michael Collins about life and leadership.
Remain Calm Under Fire
While wrestling with the angst of all that could go wrong with the Apollo mission, Michael Collins remained calm and in control. Excessive nerves and anxiousness can cloud one’s ability to think clearly in stressful situations. When others are depending on your best, it’s important to find ways of minimizing fear, worry, and anxiety.
Remain Focused on the Team’s Goals and Mission
Everyone on the team has a critical role to play. Certain positions naturally glean the spotlight, however, without the contribution of the whole team, everyone loses. The goals of the team cannot be achieved if everyone is more concerned about individual accomplishments, attention, and accolades. For a quarterback to achieve maximum results, the offensive linemen have to know their blocking assignments, receivers must run proper routes and running backs have to have hold on to the football.
Vince Lombardi, former Green Bay Packers Coach said, “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
Remain Humble Through It All
Michael Collins’ unique ability to allow others the accolades for the team’s accomplishment kept him from a life of anger, resentment and disappointment. He was secure in knowing his contribution and the value of his involvement. His actions set him apart as a true leader.
As one ancient Chinese philosopher said, “I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”
Photo credit: NASA