Outerspace teaches us an important leadership concept. The successful orbit of our planet depends on having a balance of Astronauts and Earthlings.

Astronauts have a dominant growth mindset.  They are always looking for the next promotion, project or goal and lack of progress makes them feel stagnated.  They are constantly self-motivated and striving for their dreams.  Earthlings cannot understand how they have the time and question if they have ADHD.

Conversely, Earthlings are content on stable ground.  They are hard-working, consistent and spend less time thinking about progression.  They are fulfilled by a day that simply organically unfolds and are gratified by the status quo.  Astronauts cannot imagine how much free time they have and how they fill that time.

The world needs both. Astronauts to explore outerspace for us, to ponder new ways of doing things and chase what has not been chased before. But we cannot all be astronauts. In order for astronauts to do what they do, they need good people on the ground. They need Earthlings. They need support personnel to grind through the regular patterns of work that keep the world turning.

Both groups of people are essential for life, both are necessary in our ecosystem. Since neither is “better” than the other is, the best teams have both types of members.

• Too many astronauts equates to less focus on the daily rhythms and potential for mismanagement in chasing too many adventures at once. 

• Too many earthlings means a reduced ability to push the envelope and attack in areas that require different overall systems or structure.

However, together!  The Earthlings are happy to manage the planet and keep the Astronauts from burning on the sun (because naturally, they would want to go there).  The Astronauts have support to explore where the Earthlings do not desire to go and can reach for the elements that make the Earthlings hard work come to life.

Who are your Astronauts? Who are your Earthlings?

Do they balance each other or compete with each other?