Powills: Did You Hear the Story of The Janitor Who Put a Man on the Moon?

I am sure you have heard the story about the janitor who put a man on the moon. If you haven’t, the way the story goes is that President John F. Kennedy visited NASA Space Center, saw a janitor carrying a broom and asked him what he was doing. He replied, “Mr. President, I am helping put a man on the moon.”

I still get chills when I think about that statement because that is an example of a company working together as a team to accomplish greatness.

It doesn’t matter what role someone has within a company as each part helps that company achieve greatness. With a clear vision and a core purpose defined and bought into by everyone, this statement can happen –  and should happen – within your company, too.

I think a lot about a culture that buys in and how to get a team to do so. Another example of this (even though it is a Disney movie) is in the movie Miracle.

That moment didn’t happen overnight for Team USA. It took persistence for the leadership to reach that point. It took blood, sweat and tears. It took hitting the brink of failure before climbing back up.

Did the NASA janitor buy in immediately? Probably not. It took the clarity and purpose from his boss. It took a branded vision. It took an internal drive to be a part of something seemingly impossible.

Think about how great of a feeling it would be when someone at the bottom says, “I am all in coach.” Think about the winningest teams in sports. There are third string quarterbacks and 12^th person on the basketball team. Yet, each one of those team members plays a role in helping with that championship.

Don’t overlook the bottom. Don’t step on the perceived last person on your team. Communicate and lift up. Then, maybe one day, your company can help put a man on the moon.