Carmine is fourth from Armstrong's left
I had one of those ‘pinch-me’ moments thanks to a friend who invited me to dinner with Neil Armstrong who passed away at the age of 82. For three hours I sat across from Armstrong as he regaled us with stories of the first moon landing. Remember, Armstrong was one of the most humble and private heroes our country has ever known. He rarely gave interviews or talked publicly about his experience. But with a few good friends, good wine, and good food, the reluctant hero opened up.
The year was 2003 and I was making the transition from broadcast journalism to entrepreneurship, thinking about starting my own practice. I was also writing about leadership and communications. My first book would be published two years later. I was absorbing every word.
In one funny moment—after several bottles of Barolo—one the members of our party asked the question we had all been thinking: “Mr. Armstrong, did you come up with the words, ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,’ or did someone write it for you?” For the record he did.
I loved the story, but Armstrong taught me a far more important lesson that night: Nothing great happens without an inspiring leader who articulates a vision that challenges the status quo and unleashes our collective imagination.
Armstrong was a humble man and refused to take credit for his achievement. I got the impression he was uncomfortable with his fame. During dinner Armstrong reminded us that it took 400,000 people to send him to the moon; thousands of the world’s best engineers, scientists, researchers, support staff, and even seamstresses who carefully stitched together the space suits required to withstand extreme temperatures. None of these people would have been galvanized to action if it hadn’t been for the vision first articulated by John F. Kennedy in 1961. His vision was bold, concise, and had a deadline attached to it: “By the end of the decade we will land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth.”
A vision sets forces in motion. In 1961, most scientists didn’t think it could be done. They thought Kennedy’s vision was absurd and unrealistic. The rocket technology to achieve a moon landing didn’t even exist! Kennedy’s vision, however, did spark ideas. Scientists began to ask themselves, “If we had to send a man to the moon by the end of the decade, how could we do it?” By attaching a deadline to the vision, Kennedy inspired a generation to challenge what they previously thought was impossible.
I’ve often said that passion is the fundamental building block of inspiring leadership. Passion, energy, and enthusiasm are contagious. But while passion fuels the rocket, vision directs to the rocket to its ultimate destination. The moon program proved that anything is possible when a team of smart, dedicated people commit themselves to a common goal for the benefit of others. One NASA engineer said the vision of going to the moon took such hold of his imagination that he never wanted to fall asleep. He couldn’t wait to return to work the next morning. Armstrong felt the same way. He had become a believer, an evangelist.
The American architect Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” Bold ideas inspire people to do more than they thought possible. I recently wrote a column about SanDisk co-founder Eli Harari who pioneered the flash memory fundamental to digital cameras, smartphones, and iPads. He once told me that when he entered Princeton in 1969, man had landed on the moon, inspiring him to pursue physics and space technology. He committed himself to ideas that would change the world. The moon landing had that effect on people.
We need more moon landings. Not literally, of course. But we need leaders in business and public life who challenge us do what we thought was impossible, who stir our souls, captivate our imaginations, and elicit the kind of bravery Armstrong showed when he took those first magnificent steps.