A Failure of Imagination

Astronaut Frank Borman coined the phrase, “A failure of imagination” at the Senate hearings which investigated the Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts during a standard communications test on the ground in Florida.

At the senate inquiry following the Apollo 1 fire – Senator Anderson questioned Astronaut Frank Borman, “What caused the fire?”

Frank Borman: "A failure of imagination. We've always known there was the possibility of fire in a spacecraft. But the fear was that it would happen in space, when you're 180 miles from terra firma and the nearest fire station. That was the worry. No one ever imagined it could happen on the ground. If anyone had thought of it, the test would've been classified as hazardous. But it wasn't. We just didn't think of it. Now who’s fault is that? Well, it's North American's fault. It's NASA's fault. It's the fault of every person who ever worked on Apollo. It's my fault. I didn't think the test was hazardous. No one did. I wish to God we had."

To the credit of NASA and its contractors, after the Apollo 1 tragedy, the problems with the equipment and the program itself were addressed and corrected. And, in July 1968, NASA successfully transported humans to the moon and returned them safely to the earth.

Humans by their very nature are a reactive species. Only after a tragedy or a near miss, are humans capable of considering proactive measures to avoid future potential problems.

In my opinion we can point to, “a failure of imagination” as the reason many day to day problems or larger tragedies occur.

In the 1980s a very successful corporation lost three members of its executive group in a helicopter crash. In addition to the human tragedy, this loss had a huge impact on the corporation’s bottom line. After that tragedy, it became corporate policy that two or more employees were not allowed to take the same airplane or helicopter on business related activities. They must be booked on separate flights.

When I entered the business world in the late 1980s I was stunned that this was not common practice among all organizations. At every organization I have worked for in the past twenty years (including the organization I work for today), it is not uncommon for over half the staff and the entire executive group to be booked on the same flight. Many times I have tried to bring up the potential huge loss that could impact the organization if the flight went down…but my bosses always gave me a blank stare…indicating yet another incidence of “a failure of imagination”.

By the same token, I recently had a conversation with the head of campus security for a big university. He shared with me that years ago he designed a forward thinking & progressive safety plan for students and faculty…if a lone gunman or other act of terrorism occurred on campus. He had a difficult time getting the University President and Chancellors to even consider reading his proposal let alone implementing it. HOWEVER, the day after the Virginia Tech massacre…they not only read the proposal but implemented it right away.

What does it take for humans to be proactive? What does it take for funding to be found to implement a progressive or pre-emptive strategy? It appears that only direct experience allows an idea to enter the realm of imagination….and then into a possible reality.

In the late 1950s, after the USSR launched Sputnik into orbit, the United States policy makers were launched into a frenzy to ensure that the United States remained competitive with the Soviets in the Space Race. In 1958, the United States passed the National Defense Education Act which increased funding for public education in math and sciences.

Similarly, after decades of educational complacency thanks to defeating the Soviets and ending the Cold War, the United States might need to consider a similar national education policy. In the book, “The Elephant and the Dragon”, the author discussed America’s possible response to the economic rise of India and China. To ensure the United States remains competitive in the decades to come with the exponential economic growth of China and India, the author proposes a 21st century twist to the National Defense Education Act to increase funding for education and innovation amongst America’s youth.

But at the end of the day, humans remain a reactive species. Only after the unthinkable has occured…or after the eminent threat of a tragedy is presented…are humans capable of even considering the possibility of taking (or funding) proactive measures.


References

Katz, S. (1998). From the Earth to the Moon. Retrieved June 10, 2008, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120570/quotes

Lederman, D. (2006) The Post Sputnik Era, Redux. Retrieved June 15, 2008,
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/01/27/aau

Meredith, R (2007). The Elephant and the Dragon. New York. W.W. Norton & Company.