This series of articles seeks to examine the character attributes of highly successful leaders, regardless of their adherence to a strong faith or moral standard. In presenting these thoughts, Leadership Ministries is not agreeing with or advocating these traits or practices, but rather presents these as ideas for discussion and development in your own leadership journey.

Neil Armstrong (1930 - 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to walk on the moon in 1969. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. Armstrong piloted the Apollo 11 lunar module to the moon’s surface, then spent two and a half hours on the surface. At his first step on the moon he famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The moment was broadcast live to an 530 million viewers worldwide—20% of the world’s population at the time.

Armstrong was born in Ohio. His father was an auditor and he had two younger siblings. Neil developed an early love for flying and took his first ride in a plane at age 5. He took flying lessons during high school and earned a student flight certificate on his sixteenth birthday, then soloed before he had a driver’s license. Armstrong was also an Eagle Scout (he carried a Scout badge with him to the moon). He went on to study aeronautical engineering at Purdue University, and then served as an aviator in the U.S. Navy. He served during the Korean War, and as a test pilot. He was selected for the astronaut program in 1958.[1] Several leadership characteristics were evident during Neil Armstrong’s career:

Stay calm under pressure. Armstrong made seven flights in the X-15 experimental rocket plane, reaching speeds of over mach 5. His engineering background made him adept at analyzing a new craft’s performance. A fellow pilot said of him, “Neil had been considered one of the weaker stick-and-rudder men, but the very best when it came to understanding the machine's design and how it operated.” In 1962 Armstrong crash-landed an F-104 jet when its landing gear failed. Then in 1966 he piloted the Gemini 8 space mission and landed safely despite a problem with attitude control. Next in 1968 he survived a crash of the Apollo lunar module simulator. In each case, it was Armstrong’s calm demeanor and analytical mind that saved his life.

After his moon walk, Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the lunar module and readied to fire the ascent engine to rendezvous for the return trip to earth. They soon discovered that on entering the lunar module one of their space suits had snagged and sheared off the button used to start the engine. Ever calm under pressure, the engineer Armstrong managed to replace the button with the end of a pen, and the rocket fired without a problem.

Live in the moment. Armstrong’s most famous words upon setting foot on the moon weren’t planned months ahead of time or written by NASA leadership. After returning to earth, Armstrong admitted he chose what to say just prior to stepping out of the lunar module. He said, “I always knew there was a good chance of being able to return to Earth, but I thought the chances of a successful touch down on the moon surface were about even money—fifty-fifty… Most people don’t realize how difficult the mission was. So it didn’t seem to me there was much point in thinking of something to say if we’d have to abort landing.”

Armstrong underwent bypass surgery in 2012, and developed complications afterward, dying a few days later at the age of 82. President Barack Obama issued a statement memorializing Armstrong as “among the greatest of American heroes—not just of his time, but of all time,” and that Armstrong had carried the aspirations of the United States’ citizens and had delivered “a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.”

Have a life. Following the moon mission, Armstrong said he did not plan to fly in space again, and left NASA in 1971. He later served on the teams that investigated the Apollo 13 aborted moon mission, and the space shuttle Challenger disaster. He was a spokesperson for several companies including Chrysler and General Time Corporation, and also served on the boards of a number of companies where his engineering skills were helpful—Gates Learjet, Cincinnati Gas and Electric, Taft Broadcasting and United Airlines. In 1985 he joined an expedition to the North Pole.

Armstrong’s family described him as a “reluctant American hero.” Having the reputation as a recluse, he kept a low profile later in his life. Recalling Armstrong’s humility, fellow astronaut John Glenn said he “didn’t feel that he should be out huckstering himself. He was a humble person, and that’s the way he remained after his lunar flight.” Armstrong turned down most requests for interviews and public appearances. In the 1990s when he found out his signature was being sold online, he stopped giving autographs. He continued to fly airplanes for pleasure well into his 70s.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Armstrong

Cover Photo: NASA