What do you think?
Rate this book
Tough and Competent: Leadership and Team Chemistry
“It was as tough a test as could be conceived and put to flight control . . . if there was any weakness, the team would have crumbled. The teams dealt with IT!! There is no way that you could have a team stand up the way we did. We knew we had IT. It was all built in as we had been working on IT! for years.”— Arnold Aldrich (Apollo 13)
Tough and Competent documents the leadership and teamwork principles which emerged from an organization of novice, part-time engineers in NASA Mercury Control. By July 1969, when faced with the stress of the Apollo 11 mission to land Americans on the moon, they had matured into a group of hardened individuals empowered to make the split-second decisions to land with only seventeen seconds of fuel remaining.
What had changed? Team chemistry, IT!, is the unifying soul of operations that emerged from the leadership, working, and social environment to achieve organizational excellence. Mission Control could address quickly the risks and complexity of spaceflight operations. The intangible element, IT!, elevates performance to where the impossible becomes commonplace.
IT! was born in a bare-bones warehouse floor work environment, where learning by doing developed the materials for flight. Controllers spanned diverse Philco tech reps, farm boys, Native Americans, and junior college grads who became self-made engineers. A free exchange of knowledge developed expertise among colleagues. Everyone brought unique viewpoints and skills which coalesced into IT!
In relaying his long tenure at NASA, Kranz narrates the development of IT! and how it began with a watershed moment. When he addressed a stunned team after the tragic loss of Apollo 1, Kranz delivered his “Kranz Dictum” that "Tough" and "Competent" were the new tenants of Mission Control. “Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will never again compromise our responsibilities. . . . Competent means we will never take anything for granted.” Moving innovation forward was never simple. From Gemini to Apollo launches, the Skylab program, and the stunning loss of the Challenger crew, Kranz was the face of NASA leadership. His views on lessons learned through decades of Mission Control are valuable for any innovation-based organization.
Tough and Competent documents the leadership and teamwork principles which emerged from an organization of novice, part-time engineers in NASA Mercury Control. By July 1969, when faced with the stress of the Apollo 11 mission to land Americans on the moon, they had matured into a group of hardened individuals empowered to make the split-second decisions to land with only seventeen seconds of fuel remaining.
What had changed? Team chemistry, IT!, is the unifying soul of operations that emerged from the leadership, working, and social environment to achieve organizational excellence. Mission Control could address quickly the risks and complexity of spaceflight operations. The intangible element, IT!, elevates performance to where the impossible becomes commonplace.
IT! was born in a bare-bones warehouse floor work environment, where learning by doing developed the materials for flight. Controllers spanned diverse Philco tech reps, farm boys, Native Americans, and junior college grads who became self-made engineers. A free exchange of knowledge developed expertise among colleagues. Everyone brought unique viewpoints and skills which coalesced into IT!
In relaying his long tenure at NASA, Kranz narrates the development of IT! and how it began with a watershed moment. When he addressed a stunned team after the tragic loss of Apollo 1, Kranz delivered his “Kranz Dictum” that "Tough" and "Competent" were the new tenants of Mission Control. “Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will never again compromise our responsibilities. . . . Competent means we will never take anything for granted.” Moving innovation forward was never simple. From Gemini to Apollo launches, the Skylab program, and the stunning loss of the Challenger crew, Kranz was the face of NASA leadership. His views on lessons learned through decades of Mission Control are valuable for any innovation-based organization.
- GenresAudiobookLeadershipSpace
424 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2023
31 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 1, 2025
3.75 to a solid four.
Always a good day to read Kranz. The biggest complaint I have is also a strength- it's a rambling nearly stream of consciousness that takes an overview of his life.
His childhood is covered in nearly a half a chapter, and the "story" as it is, takes off while going to college, ROTC, and flight school. We learn about his time in Korea, the previous jobs of testing that lead to nearly four decades at NASA.
I do have to appreciate the abruptness in his tone- " I covered Apollo 13 in another book, read that for further details". The common reticence of men of a certain generation to not speak ill of people, even when they have Strong Feelings about those people's qualities. He dodges around the issues surrounding his departure/ the culture of mismanagement and does little more than obliquely critiques policies and decisions, even when it is clear he has strong feelings.
The jargon and the acronyms were confusing even for those involved in spaceflight or interested. I had to look up a lot, and its clear he used the acronyms like a verb or a noun.
My biggest complaint is I presumed this was an overview of his leadership style but it was more a stream of consciousness. It was a leadership manual but he doesn't ever truely define IT! as he calls it. He goes into how his experiences shaped him and how he put in the work to build the teams, but doesn't really say what IT is or how to build IT. IT turns into a nebulous concept of " greater than teamwork".
Maybe I got the book synopsis wrong, as it was still entertaining and dog eared but not what I was expecting.
Always a good day to read Kranz. The biggest complaint I have is also a strength- it's a rambling nearly stream of consciousness that takes an overview of his life.
His childhood is covered in nearly a half a chapter, and the "story" as it is, takes off while going to college, ROTC, and flight school. We learn about his time in Korea, the previous jobs of testing that lead to nearly four decades at NASA.
I do have to appreciate the abruptness in his tone- " I covered Apollo 13 in another book, read that for further details". The common reticence of men of a certain generation to not speak ill of people, even when they have Strong Feelings about those people's qualities. He dodges around the issues surrounding his departure/ the culture of mismanagement and does little more than obliquely critiques policies and decisions, even when it is clear he has strong feelings.
The jargon and the acronyms were confusing even for those involved in spaceflight or interested. I had to look up a lot, and its clear he used the acronyms like a verb or a noun.
My biggest complaint is I presumed this was an overview of his leadership style but it was more a stream of consciousness. It was a leadership manual but he doesn't ever truely define IT! as he calls it. He goes into how his experiences shaped him and how he put in the work to build the teams, but doesn't really say what IT is or how to build IT. IT turns into a nebulous concept of " greater than teamwork".
Maybe I got the book synopsis wrong, as it was still entertaining and dog eared but not what I was expecting.
January 27, 2024
Incredibly detailed book on the inner workings of the organizations that created NASA and the great successes of the space program. Somewhat technical on the topics of team management, organization, and leadership, this book has a place on the shelf of any manager or leader.
March 25, 2024
Gene Kranz has now written a second book. Whereas he provided an autobiographical account of his life in his first book Failure is Not an Option, he has now written a book in which he distills his career memories into observations on leadership and team chemistry. Sometimes these lessons come from his Air Force career in the 1950s, when he flew jets and learned from figures such as Harry Carroll, Jack Coleman, and Ralph Saylor. These people helped him to learn values such as humility, courage, and trust in himself and his colleagues. He then goes through his time in the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. When he reflects on the successful functioning of the flight control teams he observed across all of those programs in his thirty-four years (1960 to 1994), he believes that these teams had the "it" factor that their knowledge, trust in each other, and camaraderie gave them. Without this, astronaut crews could not have returned safely from their missions when problems arose.
I find the book to be especially useful for two reasons. First, it goes much further into Kranz's career than his first book. Whereas his first book only went through the Apollo era, here he has shared his thoughts on the Space Shuttle era and the Space Station Freedom/International Space Station era through his 1994 retirement. He is generally impressed with the leadership and chemistry of those who made shuttle flights successful, but not with those behind the station program during its convoluted early years. Second, the book is useful because it teases out lessons learned from Kranz's entire life that will be useful for readers who are focused on the future. Some of these readers may be working on the space program during the Artemis era and beyond, while some readers may be in another walk of life but in need of advice on leading a closely knit team. I hope the book finds a wide readership.
I find the book to be especially useful for two reasons. First, it goes much further into Kranz's career than his first book. Whereas his first book only went through the Apollo era, here he has shared his thoughts on the Space Shuttle era and the Space Station Freedom/International Space Station era through his 1994 retirement. He is generally impressed with the leadership and chemistry of those who made shuttle flights successful, but not with those behind the station program during its convoluted early years. Second, the book is useful because it teases out lessons learned from Kranz's entire life that will be useful for readers who are focused on the future. Some of these readers may be working on the space program during the Artemis era and beyond, while some readers may be in another walk of life but in need of advice on leading a closely knit team. I hope the book finds a wide readership.
March 10, 2024
As a 38-year-old solution engineer at Zoom with a passion for astrophotography, I found Eugene Kranz's book "Tough and Competent" to be an incredibly inspiring read. Kranz, renowned for his pivotal role in the Apollo space missions, provides a firsthand account of leadership, problem-solving, and resilience in the face of adversity - themes that resonate deeply with my dual professional and personal interests.
Kranz's emphasis on being not just tough, but also competent, speaks volumes to me in my role as a solution engineer. The importance of technical expertise, coupled with the ability to adapt and innovate under pressure, mirrors the dynamic nature of my work at Zoom. Kranz's anecdotes from the high-stakes environment of NASA offer valuable insights into handling complex challenges with poise and determination - qualities that undoubtedly translate across different fields and disciplines.
Moreover, as an astrophotography enthusiast, I found Kranz's narrative of the Apollo missions to be particularly captivating. His descriptions of the teamwork, precision, and unwavering dedication required to achieve milestones in space exploration struck a chord with me as I pursue my own creative ventures capturing the beauty of the cosmos through photography.
I especially loved how Kranz owned his human side and the mention of the impossible dream by and Williams as NASA matured and how carrier progressed out of the golden era in to new difficult territory.
Overall, "Tough and Competent" serves as a compelling reminder of the power of perseverance, expertise, and leadership in driving success, both professionally and personally. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking inspiration in their endeavors, be it in the realm of technology, engineering, or even the exploration of the unknown depths of space.
Kranz's emphasis on being not just tough, but also competent, speaks volumes to me in my role as a solution engineer. The importance of technical expertise, coupled with the ability to adapt and innovate under pressure, mirrors the dynamic nature of my work at Zoom. Kranz's anecdotes from the high-stakes environment of NASA offer valuable insights into handling complex challenges with poise and determination - qualities that undoubtedly translate across different fields and disciplines.
Moreover, as an astrophotography enthusiast, I found Kranz's narrative of the Apollo missions to be particularly captivating. His descriptions of the teamwork, precision, and unwavering dedication required to achieve milestones in space exploration struck a chord with me as I pursue my own creative ventures capturing the beauty of the cosmos through photography.
I especially loved how Kranz owned his human side and the mention of the impossible dream by and Williams as NASA matured and how carrier progressed out of the golden era in to new difficult territory.
Overall, "Tough and Competent" serves as a compelling reminder of the power of perseverance, expertise, and leadership in driving success, both professionally and personally. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking inspiration in their endeavors, be it in the realm of technology, engineering, or even the exploration of the unknown depths of space.
May 6, 2025
This book was full of wisdom and direction for leaders and anyone who wants to spark ambition. I enjoyed learning about Kranz and NASA history while gaining knowledge I could apply on a personal level. I Here are some of the many quotes I enjoyed:
When readiness is achieved, the desire for action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
The momentum of the work…the shouting of, “Eureka” as we made a discovery, and the sharing of knowledge was dynamic and all that mattered was we were together on the front lines of space.
For the leader, that authority must be coupled with a visible and uncompromising personal belief in the mission and the importance in the team in realizing that mission. they must believe that they have been called to accomplish something greater than they would have been able to accomplish by themselves. That only the team can do it.
We as explorers and charted America’s path in space. We knew about high risk and the grief for our friends who gave their lives to the effort. We knew the triumph of high achievement and when we failed, at least we failed while daring greatly. Our place will never be with those cold and timid souls, who knew neither victory or defeat.
…to recognize that the greatest error is not to have tried and failed, but that in trying we did not give it our best effort.
When readiness is achieved, the desire for action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
The momentum of the work…the shouting of, “Eureka” as we made a discovery, and the sharing of knowledge was dynamic and all that mattered was we were together on the front lines of space.
For the leader, that authority must be coupled with a visible and uncompromising personal belief in the mission and the importance in the team in realizing that mission. they must believe that they have been called to accomplish something greater than they would have been able to accomplish by themselves. That only the team can do it.
We as explorers and charted America’s path in space. We knew about high risk and the grief for our friends who gave their lives to the effort. We knew the triumph of high achievement and when we failed, at least we failed while daring greatly. Our place will never be with those cold and timid souls, who knew neither victory or defeat.
…to recognize that the greatest error is not to have tried and failed, but that in trying we did not give it our best effort.
December 17, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. I thought it might be a memoir with some leadership principles mixed in. While there were some great accounts of significant events and some insightful leadership advice, it seemed that the team chemistry part, which seemed to be the intended central element, wasn't compelling enough to hold the pieces together. Some very interesting parts, but as a whole, it felt disjointed from chapter to chapter.
March 26, 2024
Mr. Kranz is a tough competent guy, and this book totally reflects that. While based on his life in aviation and NASA, his leadership lessons cross all boundaries. It’s a fascinating and thought provoking read.
March 5, 2024
The final chapter - "Leadership Quotes" has some nuggets. Most of the book is more autobiographic than talking about actual leadership or team chemistry.
June 8, 2024
Having grown up during the space program and always having a keen interest, this book was fascinating. Great lessons on buildoing and maintaining a solid Team.
January 3, 2026
Optionally retitled as Failure Is Not an Option: Bonus Content. It was interesting to me because I like Failure Is Not an Option and am interested in NASA history. This book provides a short glimpse into many figures in the Space Program, highlighting key characteristics that made them right for the job.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews