Dare Mighty Things: what we can learn from the Mars Rovers team

In the latest episode of Memberful Design, Nagin Cox teaches us that even the most technical topic becomes personal when approached with a memberful mindset.

Nagin’s journey at NASA offers a constellation of insights for firestarters and changemakers. We’ve collected the five most memberful moments that will challenge every team to dare mighty things.

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Staying in sync on Mars time

NASA's missions to the far ends of our solar system teach us a crucial lesson: adaptation. The members of the NASA team, responsible for coordinating the complex actions of robotic explorers on Mars, boldly commit to "Mars time." A Martian day is longer than the Earth's, and they live their daily lives according to it, synchronizing their efforts with the distant planet. Adjusting to different circumstances, on earth or on Mars requests alignment within the whole team.

In a similar vein, the recent surge in remote work since the pandemic, highlights the need for adaptation in a different context. As teams navigate the challenges of working from various locations, Nagin's insights become especially relevant. She teaches us that to achieve audacious goals, you must be able to get teams working in sync, and communicate expectations clearly. Regular teams may not face a significant time difference like the NASA team. However, aligning everyone despite time zone or location differences is crucial to create a shared direction for the path forward.  

Build an emotional connection

The NASA missions are highly technical, but the people working closely with the rovers have developed real relationships with the robots. Perseverance and Opportunity aren't just rovers; Nagin even refers to them as ‘her babies’ named Persy and Oppie. When the NASA team sends them off into the Martian night, one can feel the collective tension with every challenge the rovers face on their journey.

In daily work, it's common to overlook celebrating successes and milestones, quickly moving on to the next task. By creating a shared narrative around your mission and goals, you can forge emotional connections with your team and stakeholders. It's this shared sense of purpose that fosters resilience and determination, even when faced with the harshest of challenges.

Nagin aims to make everyone in the team aware of the context in which they are operating. "In a few minutes this will be part of your past. This will be part of your history. So try to be in the moment, because it becomes a highlight of your life so quickly, whatever happens.”

The need for a shared language

One of the most fascinating aspects of NASA's way of working is their unique vocabulary. Words like "Yestersol" (yesterday on Mars), "aerocapture," and "terraforming" refer to specific concepts that don’t exist elsewhere. The shared language helps build strong connections among team members, fosters clarity in communication, and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Similarly, in the realm of strategy and organizational development, establishing a shared language becomes a powerful tool. Within organizations, having shared rituals, successes and language for your brand story and purpose can be equally transformative. It strengthens the sense of community, fosters mutual understanding and aligns member’s visions. Building a brand and tone of voice framework within your organization transforms the way team members understand and connect with your mission. When you’re in the know, you become part of something bigger.

The true journey begins after launch

Although the NASA team is working towards launch, Nagin emphasizes that "launch" isn't the finish line; it's the starting point. The real journey begins when the spacecraft leaves the Earth's atmosphere. To make the mission succeed, it’s the commitment and consistency of the team that makes all the difference.

Many organizations focus on epic brand launches, often neglecting the necessary follow-up strategies for successful implementation. Identify the unique opportunities that you and your team can actually commit to. A brand is a promise performed over time. Launching a renewed brand or product is just the beginning with building a sense of belonging is what takes work and time.

Celebrating collective goals

NASA's achievements are not solitary endeavors. They are the result of immense cross-team collaboration across disciplines, locations, and organizations. When NASA successfully lands a rover on Mars, it's a moment of collective joy even beyond the mission control room, recognizing that real change requires working together. As Nagin puts it: “It is a shared experience. You're sitting in the mission control room but there are groups of people in other rooms, in other cities, in other countries and it's not only about the mission team."

Building a movement or sparking real change requires dedication and belief in a larger mission. This mission should unite both audiences and team members and inspire them to make a real change. It’s of the highest importance to create buy-in from the early start and set clear goals that teams can work towards, too. It’s the collective effort that makes all the difference and everyone in your organization plays a part in achieving success.

Overall, Nagin teaches us that to ‘Dare mighty things’ is not merely a motto for the NASA team but a mantra that the organization has embraced throughout its remarkable journey into the cosmos — it’s an aspiration that every company should embrace. Adaptation, emotional connection, embracing challenges, fostering a shared language, and promoting cross-team collaboration are the cornerstones of transformative success to reach your company's moonshot.

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