The Bright Side of the Moon: Lessons from the 1st Man

Today represents a landmark day as the 50-year anniversary of the moon landing. Firstly and always an engineer, legendary US astronaut, Neil Armstrong, would surely have disliked the attention of this milestone anniversary which he believed rightly belonged to so many other participants on the Apollo mission. This was a man who exuded endless calm, integrity and intellectual curiosity.

A Privileged Opportunity

In 2011, I sat with Neil over a lengthy dinner in Paris and my inquisitive nature was unleashed upon him. To him, it was just another event. To me, it was an opportunity to ask about matters which I had been left wondering about since I first spoke with him in 2007.  

To the dismay of many an aeronautical engineer or space-buff with an equivalent opportunity, my interest was far more in understanding more about the psyche of this enigmatic personality than pondering the mechanics of a 7 million-part machine, weighing more than 40 Boeing 747s and generating c.7.5million pounds of thrust power which propelled Apollo 11 towards the moon. While as fascinating, that I felt I could ascertain from Wikipedia or other NASA annals. I had also just read the 1000+ page bible of his tech-heavy and mission-filled autobiography.

The Supremacy of Peer Recognition

I wasn’t disappointed. Far from being the reputed recluse, stories and bonhomie were aplenty, from his hero Charles Lindbergh to competitive rivalry, family, preferences, not fitting in and coping with conspiracy theories. Among many such memorable accounts, an innocuous remark struck me. A reminder of the human value placed on peer recognition.

When reluctantly discussing his many accolades, which incidentally included receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Richard Nixon and a host of other NASA coveted distinctions, of which he was deeply honoured to receive, it was in fact the engineering and aeronautical industry awards of which he felt particularly proud. These were symbolic of the recognition and hard-earned merit accorded to him by his peers. Interestingly, this was said just 2 days before he received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honour with his former crew, one of the highest US civilian honours possible.

As we know, scientific studies indicate that ironically, employees value feedback from their peers far more than feedback from their bosses. It is perceived that one’s seniors often tend to lavish praise from a place of self-serving obligation rather than a place of merit, spontaneity or genuine high-regard. To receive accolades from one’s discerning, ever-critical and often, competitively jealous peers, must be warranted, hence a premium to many. It is not often given, usually a reflection of the peer rather than level of accomplishment.

Perhaps on this historical anniversary, there is something to take from this wisdom of experience. If we cast our generosity of spirit towards a peer, we may well generate unexpected joy in giving them unconditional praise or acknowledgement. People never forget how you make them feel.

And making people feel good about themselves is perhaps the greatest gift that any individual can freely give another.

It may not quite have the acclaim or rarity as the Presidential Medal of Freedom but perhaps its value is equivalent, or even as special, to the individual who receives it. It might also generate a reciprocal or contagious ripple effect.

Bright Side of the Moon

Shortly thereafter, as this acclaimed-astronaut regaled his own memory of the moon landing, I will never forget seeing his face visibly light up and he looked towards the sky and nostalgically recalled that vivid intense blue hue of planet earth from the moon, like he was seeing it all over again, on that very day the Eagle had landed. Such spontaneous expressions cannot lie and, in that moment, for me, he put paid to many a conspiracy theory, placing himself firmly at the centre of space history.

As the White House said upon his passing less than 10 months later, Neil Armstrong delivered “a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten” and remains inspirational today across the generations, a symbol of hope, encouraging others to go beyond what was ever thought possible. Certainly in my lifetime, he will never be forgotten.

? 2019. Nuala G Walsh.