Page 129 - Harvard Business Review (November-December, 2017)

For more from Scott Kelly, go to HBR.org.
LIFE’S WORK

SCOTT KELLY

ASTRONAUT

“I THINK WE’RE NATURAL

EXPLORERS. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO LOOK OVER

THE HORIZON, WHETHER AT
MARS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.”

During his 20 years as a NASA astronaut, Determining what to use in what situation— shouldn’t be doing this at all.” But sometimes,
Scott Kelly ventured into space four that’s the skill. so long as it’s not a safety issue, you just have
times, capping his career with a yearlong to go with the flow. On the Space Station,
stay on the International Space Station, How do you build relationships with I recognized that I can put focus and energy on
during which he served a stint as foreign astronauts, especially when the stuff that needs to get done and not care
commander. His memoir, Endurance, the politics are fraught? about the stuff that doesn’t matter. A lot of my
is out now. Interviewed by JM Olejarz That’s one of the great things about the colleagues don’t have that same capability.
program. You draw on the strengths of people They have this type A personality that has to do
HBR: When you’re up in space, does it feel with different backgrounds. There’s potential everything perfectly all the time. You can’t do
like a job? for conflict and challenges, particularly with the that for a year in space.
KELLY: Yes. When you wake up, you’re at work, Russians, who we’re not always the friendliest
and when you go to sleep, you’re still at work. with. But in space we set all that aside, because So few people are chosen to be astronauts.
You’re living in your office. It’s magical in some we rely on those cosmonauts, and they rely on How can you work toward a goal you might
ways. But it’s still work. us. You can work together for something you never achieve?
both believe in. Space is a great place to do that, You need to recognize that these are real jobs,
You’ve been in leadership roles throughout because it’s common ground where peaceful and people do get them. Even though the odds
your career. How has your style changed collaboration can occur. are against you, they’re just as much against
over time? everybody else, so just keep plugging away.
I’d say my style is based on the situation. How do you handle stress and avoid burnout? I knew that I wanted to do this, but also that I
If there’s a fire on the Space Station, I’m Exercise and having a sounding board at home might never have the chance. And I would have
like a tyrant—I tell people what to do, and help. For me, it also depends on what the been content with continuing my navy career.
I don’t want questions. But sometimes I’m stress is from. If ground control is asking me It’s important to choose a field because it
more collaborative—getting the opinions to do something I feel doesn’t make sense, I’ll interests you, not because it’s going to help you
of the group and then making a decision. say, “Hey, we can do this better—or maybe we become an astronaut. HBR Reprint R1706P
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX BURKHALTER

172 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2017