Leadership lessons from pop culture
The BIG Takeaway™
newsletter
Aug. 29, 2022

​What leaders can learn from TV, sports and movies this week

Hello current and aspiring leaders! 

I guess 20 million viewers can't be wrong. HBO's "House of the Dragon" premier smashed expectations last week and was immediately renewed for a season 2.
In the mood for a sequel instead of a prequel? NASA is moving toward going back to the moon as it launches the Artemis 1 rocket today (hopefully they can get through the delays and engine issues).

​Two space-related items you MUST watch:
  • This scene with Jim Carrey from "Dumb and Dumber" which, as I understand, was improvised. 
  • William Shatner singing Elton John's "Rocket Man." This was NOT a joke.

    Bonus: Check out this album featuring Shatner and Leonard Nimoy called "Spaced Out." Again, not a joke. I love how it has 4.5 stars on Amazon which, by the way, is higher than the soundtrack to the 2022 movie "Elvis" (4.3). 

In honor of NASA's launch (fingers crossed) and all things space, this week I am going to focus on what I call "The Chuck Yeager Principle" for teams.

​Who's Chuck Yeager?

​​Let's go.

Rich Trombetta
@trombettarich
Aug. 29, 2022
This week's BIG Takeaway:
Make sure your team experiences some turbulence from time to time
Image: Pexels
"Just before you break through the sound barrier, the cockpit shakes the most."
Turbulence  - in the sky or on a team - doesn't have to be scary

The context: Chuck Yeager was possibly the greatest test pilot in the history of the United States. 

  • The first to break the sound barrier, Yeager's accomplishments and bravery helped lay the foundation for America's space program.

  • The book "The Right Stuff" and the subsequent 1983 film of the same name tell the story of Yeager and the beginning of America's race to the moon.

  • This scene shows Yeager, played by Sam Shepard, breaking the sound barrier. Notice what is happening with the plane as he gets close to the barrier and then notice how peaceful his flight is once he crosses that threshold.

    Side note: The book, movie and Chuck Yeager's life could be an entire leadership curriculum. 

What we can learn: Turbulence can be uncomfortable. Resist the temptation to avoid it; instead, have a culture that helps your team lean in and work through it.
​​
  • Conflict between team members can actually be a good thing. If there isn't any turbulence then is there really any diversity of thought or value placed on differences?

  • There are two key components: First, the conflict needs to be healthy and second the culture needs to be one where people can feel safe to disagree or offer a conflicting point of view.

  • This Harvard Business Review article notes how teams can actually have too much harmony which can actually be hurting your organization.

My take: Use "The Chuck Yeager Principle" with your team to push you into healthy conflict and help you come out of the experience safely.

  • Don't run from healthy conflict or try to make things peaceful all of the time. Lean into the situation, use it as an opportunity to gain new perspectives and leverage it to break through the challenge in front of you. 
    ​
  • Yes, turbulence can be uncomfortable - that is a good thing. It sounds trite but it is true; get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

  • ​​Healthy conflict combined with safe cultures can propel your team to places you never imagined. 

The BIG Takeaway:
Make sure your team experiences some turbulence from time to time
Let's put this into action
Image: Pexels
👉​What you can do RIGHT NOW to go even further.
  • Watch this TED Talk titled​ "Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone."
  • Review this summary of the book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable." (Bonus points: read the entire book) The book stresses how teams need to overcome the fear of conflict.
📢​ What you can do with others:
  • Work with your team or other colleagues to dig deeper into our topics using our discussion guides and simple conversation prompts. Instead of a book club I like to think of this as our "movie-or-TV club." ​

    This week's prompts:
    1. Watch the clip together. How does our team react when there is "turbulence?" 
    2. What are we doing to foster healthy conflict and safe work cultures so people can live by "The Chuck Yeager Principle?"
    3. Some planes can now travel three times the speed of sound. What lesson can be gained from that fact and the topic of this newsletter?
Did you know we can design and deliver custom classes or programs based on topics we write about?

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That's all for now

But wait! Here's our weekly dog video to help you smile before you go. Strong dog!
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​Thanks for reading and please remember:
  • We archive our stories and put them here for the world to read so feel free to have a look.
  • If you have any ideas or feedback Contact me with your thoughts.
  • We can create custom newsletters​ and training sessions on the topics we write about.
Rich Trombetta
​@trombettarich

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