Former SpaceX technical trainer on why some leaders fail to launch, others blast off
It's not rocket science, but people management can be a difficult skill to grasp—especially for those technical employees trained to solve machines rather than personnel.
A former pilot instructor and SpaceX training head, Matt Gjertsen has plenty of experience building teams with stellar technical skills. While techs have many attributes that make them ideal managers, they may not realize that management often means stepping away from problems.
Gjertsen is promoting his upcoming book based off just that experience: In this episode, Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch asks Gjertsen how to step back from the wrench, build genuine trust, and help technical management truly blast off.
Check out Gjertsen's podcast, Leadership Launchpad, here.
Timestamps:
- 01:16 – Introduction
- 02:39 – Matt Gjertsen’s Background
- 06:59 – Shift from technical expert to people leader
- 09:54 – The delegation doom loop
- 14:21 – Building trust in diverse
- 17:33 – First principles leadership Framework
- 24:47 – Navigating generational shifts and labor shortages
- 30:25 – Root cause analysis for people problems
- 42:34 – Technique vs. procedure management
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About the Author
John Hitch
Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance
John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.
He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek, and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.
Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.
The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.