City Shift Finance: Looking back on your 30 years at NASA, what experience shaped your approach to leadership more than any other?
Brady Pyle – CHRIO sor space houston center: When I assumed my first leadership role at NASA, I thought I needed to craft a great vision for the team
I spent time preparing a strong vision, but when I presented it, it fell flat. Turns out, my team members had their own ideas about our future and wanted those to be heard and considered. I pivoted, and we developed a shared vision as a team.It was a valuable lesson to learn as a young leader. In my final challenge, leading HR services for all of NASA, we had to come together and build a build a shared vision for OneHR. Our Executive team fully engaged and, as a result, we moved more quickly together.
City Shift Finance: Why did you decide to write Building Culture the NASA Way?
Brady Pyle – CHRIO sor space houston center: For the last 10 years, I’ve spoken at a variety of HR meetings and global conferences about how NASA lessons can be applied in any organization.
Attendees often comment how much they appreciate the practical takeaways they can use.
I wanted to expand audience reach, and a book often opens doors to other speaking engagements. Over the years, I’ve branded myself a “Translator of the NASA Way” because I take the frameworks and approaches we used and present them in an accessible way.
City Shift Finance: What is the most important lesson NASA taught you about leadership?
Brady Pyle – CHRIO sor space houston center: NASA exudes teamwork and collaboration. Almost everything is accomplished by teams of people. I like to emphasize to leaders that “everyone contributes…success takes a team.” Leadership is about serving people on those teams, so they can bring out their best to accomplish the mission.
City Shift Finance: What role does leadership play during periods of cultural and organizational change?
Brady Pyle – CHRIO sor space houston center: To shape or change culture, you have to bring people along.
Help them understand the vision and the direction and ensure they’re moving in alignment with the new direction. Mistakes I’ve seen over the years are when leaders attempt to articulate a culture, don’t take time to secure buy-in from the team, then wonder why they face resistance and delays. When I led HR transformation efforts at NASA, I was known for providing a steady, calming influence. I like to encourage leaders to be “stress reducers” not “stress magnifiers” because the stress of change is enough for team members to deal with.
I would further encourage leaders to demonstrate resilience and perseverance. Be a “steady hand” in the face of pressure, distractions, or weariness. Your team needs that!
Chief HR & Inclusion Officer (CHRIO) for Space Center Houston ,Retired NASA Executive.
