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Charlie Pellerin patented a magnetometer that flew out of the solar system on Pioneer 11, published in prestigious astrophysics journals, and led NASA’s Astrophysics Division for nearly a decade. With a driving interest in leadership and teambuilding, he joined the faculty of the University of Colorado (CU) Business School to teach undergraduates, MBAs and executives how to lead lives that are more effective. In 1995, he formed 4-D Systems and began experimenting with teambuilding processes.

His book, How NASA Builds Teams: Mission-critical Soft Skills for Scientists, Engineers and Project Teams (Wiley, 2009) chronicles results from hundreds of NASA teams and thousands of NASA team members. Many resources, including free assessments are available at www.4-DSystems.com.

1. Hello Charlie, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for us! First, we would like to know how an astrophysicist came about writing How NASA Builds Teams.

In 1990, my life dramatically changed with the finding that my team built the Hubble Space Telescope with a flawed mirror. I received a second shock when the failure review board named “leadership failure” as the root cause of one of the biggest screw-ups in the history of science.

Once the servicing mission that repaired the telescope was underway, I wanted to understand how something we never talked about (leadership) trumped the hard work of many of the best scientists and engineers in the world. I made a remarkable and unexpected discovery. Of all the processes we experimented with, our 15-minute behavioral assessments are the most powerful stimulants for the only change that matters, behavioral change. How NASA Builds Teams presents quantitative evidence from nearly 200 NASA teams.

2. Have you received any awards for your work?

Yes. I received the largest patent-related monetary award ever given by the Goddard Space Flight Center. Catholic University awarded me their Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science. NASA awarded me two Outstanding Leadership Medals, the first for leading the Astrophysics Program and the second for the Hubble Servicing Mission. NASA had only honored 50 people including astronauts in this way.

The American Astronautical Society awarded me their highest award, the Space Flight Award, for the Great Observatories Program. NASA also awarded me their highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal. My greatest award, by far, and the only one that brought streaming tears was hearing my students tell the CU Dean’s Advisory Committee how they benefited from my courses.

3. Do you also do speaking engagements or seminars?

I do provide speaking engagements. More importantly, my company, 4-D Systems and our (international) Network partners provide teambuilding workshops that follow How NASA Builds Teams nearly exactly. Moreover, anyone can download animated PowerPoint slides for workshop modules free at www.4-DSystems.com.

4. What kind of other works (books, scripts, poems etc.) have you had published? 

You can read articles and op-ed pieces at 4-DSystems.com. My favorite is a haiku poem I wrote for the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing:

Three died in the fire

The rest bravely walked into the thunder

Because they loved their country

5. What will your next project be?

The discovery that assessments are our most potent behavioral change tool motivates me to make a version for use in family counseling. After we work with this tool to optimize it and prove its effectiveness, I will write a short book describing how to use it.

6. Who inspires you on a personal or business level?

Great physicists, especially Richard Feynman inspire me to keep thinking and creating. My favorite quote, however, is from Washington Post publisher, Katherine Graham: “To love what you do and know that it matters. How could anything be more fun?”

7. Finally, a most important question: what was the last song you sang aloud when you were by yourself?

I don’t actually sing aloud by myself. The songs that most often play in my head are the opening of “When the Music’s Over” by the Doors and Mozart piano concertos. Crazy, don’t you think?

Thank you Charlie! We wish you great success with your ongoing and future projects!