Wayne Hale Speaks Up
Former Shuttle program manager Wayne Hale publishes this blog. For the most part he repeats that the current Constellation architecture is best for the job. Last week he released this 10-minute video where a (fictional) NASA contractor is stifled at every turn. She has a better idea for a spacecraft, but she is (1) too junior, (2) working in spacecraft design, (3) working for a contractor that doesn't want to rock the boat. Nobody in her chain of command wants to question the current design.
"Recently I had a couple of events which affected my thinking on this. I have been out of the Shuttle Program manager job for almost a year now and a trusted coworker just a week ago told me that people in his organization had been prevented from giving me important alternative choices for some program choices that occurred a couple of years ago. This was staggering. It was happening right in front of me and I was totally unaware that people - who I trusted, who I hoped would trust me - kept their lips sealed because somebody in their middle management made it clear to them that speaking up would not be good."
What choices could Wayne Hale have been referring to?
Labels: nasa, space shuttle
posted by L. Riofrio at 11:10 AM
2 Comments:
It is very difficult for managers to learn the truth from their employees. I've wondered why this is. My theory is that humans have a tendency left over from our tribal days that causes us to be very careful around management, even middle management.
HI carl! Did someone else really watch the whole video? Since you have one foot in science and another in private industry, your persepective is most valuable. Thanks also for the comment on Arcadian Functor--a changing rate of time is mathematically equivalent to a changing speed of light!
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