The Martian is a brilliant film and an unlikely source of HR inspiration. LACE Founder Aaron investigates.
Last night, I took my children to see The Martian. And what a brilliant film. I was struck by how inspired I felt leaving the cinema, but I couldn’t put my finger on what had gripped me so much. Now I’ve had a chance to sleep on it, I can see that witnessing an epic, brave struggle against adversity played a huge part in firing me up. But, for me, the message that resonated strongest was that of survival through collaboration.
The plight of the lone (space) ranger
The film’s main protagonist, astronaut and botanist Mark Watney, is clearly a highly skilled and resourceful individual. He also has a fair amount of luck on his side. Stranded alone on Mars, Matt
Damon’s character works hard to ensure he has everything in place to continue living day-to-day: growing food, producing water and disposing of waste.
He soon reaches an equilibrium that could also be described as a stalemate – a handy metaphor for most of the world’s jobs and careers. He’s hit the ceiling of his abilities, and sees little scope for any further movement from there. He knows he can do no more, and must come to terms with the knowledge that he’s destined to live out the last of his days stuck in the same daily grind.
The power of collaboration
It’s working together that finally frees Watney from his dusty doldrums. Specifically, it’s the ability of the organisation around him (or rather thousands of miles away from him, on another planet) to do the following:
Identify his skills and their impacts
NASA only realise Watney is still alive when they witness his skills in action. This is talent analytics in its rawest form. (Hopefully most organisations are able to recognise and hone in on their people’s skills without the aid of a satellite. Other tools are available.)
Acknowledge his value to the organisation
As well as celebrating his talents, NASA also quantifies Watney’s worth in terms of PR. Watney’s story captures the hearts and minds of people within his own organisation and all over the world, and NASA realises there’s magic in that.
Agree to collaborate and create change
NASA steps in to help Watney transform his dynamic. Together, they collaborate across borders to bring the hero home. On Earth, Watney’s able to contribute even more than before, sharing his story and his learnings and inspiring others. NASA seems to know that effective talent management is underpinned by a brave, bold collaboration culture.
Give and receive – transparently
Never underestimate the impact of sharing. There’s a moment in the film that really drives this message home. Chinese scientists come up with part of the solution to bring Watney home. Rather than hoarding this insight, they’re transparent and choose to share it. Had they not done so, the rescue mission would have been stalled, or may even have failed.
(In the HR universe, there are tools on the market that facilitate such sharing and transparency. Take a look at ProFinda and WhoKnows to discover more.)
Show true trust and commitment
As the film unfolds, we witness many a leap of faith moment. For me, the film brings to life the truth that trust and commitment is never one-sided. Both parties – the organisation and the individual – need to make the leap for it to be of real worth. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Be driven by purpose
In The Martian, everyone gathers around a core purpose. It focuses them, and motivates them to succeed. This is the secret ingredient in successful collaboration and talent management.
The other thing that shone out like a beacon across the bleak Mars landscape? The amount of communication, formal and informal, that was required to make the near-impossible happen. Whether it’s face-to-face, on-screen, or video, voice or text-based, communication is what brings us together and enables us to take the right action.
So next time you want to create change and make an impact, give a thought to The Martian. It’s not a conventional HR text, but there are plenty of inspiring lessons to be learnt.
Aaron Alburey FCIPD, Member of the HR Guild, father to the L, A, C, and E (Lauren, Alex, Caleb and Eve) in LACE Partners and bouldering enthusiast
