The 1960s was an era of unbridled optimism.
Before the rise of the hippies and the anti-war demonstrations, it seemed America could do anything. We had a young, energetic President in the White House, we trumped the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis standoff, and the space race was in full swing. Old timers today who grew up in that decade wistfully look back on all the acco
mplishments of the time, and question what became of America’s spirit since.
As an entrepreneur, though not necessarily one born in the 60s, your business could learn a few tricks from the era that catapulted us into space and on to the moon.
Business tip 1: Set a goal
When John F. Kennedy took to the podium in 1961, the United States was second-fiddle to the Russians in terms of spaceflight.
The Soviets had a myriad of firsts: first to launch a satellite, first to launch a living animal (Laika), the first human being in space, and finally the first female in space. Back in Florida, our rockets were still blowing up on the launchpad, and our first man in space flew much lower and for a far shorter period than Gagarin’s historic flight.
However, Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” changed all that. Back when the US couldn’t even match the Russians in rocket reliability, JFK set the ludicrous goal of landing a man on the moon before the end of the decade. It was demanding, it was far-fetched…. it seemed (aptly) like lunacy. And yet it galvanized the nation into action, so that in five years, the Apollo space program was in full steam and Armstrong landed on the moon half a year before the deadline. And they didn’t need any unions or bailouts or loans.
If your business hums along merrily without a goal, chances are everyone will get complacent. From the top on down, people will clock in and out everyday without working towards a larger objective, other than earning their paycheck.
Set an ambitious long-term goal. If Kennedy wanted a man on the moon in 10 years, maybe you want your enterprise in the Forbes 500 within the same span. Then enumerate the lesser, short term objectives that will help you achieve this ultimate goal.
Business tip 2: Tap all minds
In 1963, before the Apollo program could get off the ground, NASA needed a spacesuit. It had to withstand the rigors of space, while being flexible enough so the wearer could move, walk and navigate freely. A lot of high-tech defense contractors submitted proposals. And yet, out of all the submissions, it was the design of one company that won. And that company specialized in making brassieres.
Moral lesson? Sometimes the greatest ideas can come from the least expected places.
When making a critical business decision, gather input from all members of the company. Get feedback from the highest paid vice president to the lowliest clerk. Who knows, the groundbreaking spark you need might come from the new guy in the most junior position.