A leader should know how to manage failure

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:17 am

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts -- I had four or five of them with me -- told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal. It was a big failure.

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference -- where journalists from around the world were present -- was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure -- he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, "You conduct the press conference today."

I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

Aaru · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:24 am

Hats off to that chairman :) This news has come out just because it happened to abdul kalam ! Had it been some other guy they would not have admitted their mistake !

Abt Abdul kalam, I have met/listened to his lectures and have spoken to him.He is simply unbeleivable.

Aaru
- Big fan of abdul kalam

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:43 am

True, He is simply simple. I used to stay near by President House during my 'search' for job, observed Him that time, quite simple life style He has.

rakesha.hg · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:01 pm

hi guys,

my query is.....

is this incident quoted in WINGS OF FIRE.... if so ...

thanks for reminding!

mytags · New User Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 63 Location: US

Hi
Our Kalam allways explains things with real time incidents so it relates to life ,so it become more touching also..

hari

drmadhu · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:29 am

Proud for being born in the same country as Abdul Kalam!!

diwa_thilak · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:39 am

How many managers in the world take responsibility to the failures and share appreciations with Team.

Hats Off to Prof Dhawan.

Thanks for sharing this information with us Anuj.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:46 am

Itanium · Active User Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 114 Location: India

nice one...

radhakrishnan82 · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:19 am

good one

cheers,
raddie

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:44 pm

testing