In many aspects of our lives, we don’t get to pick our crew. As a result, each member of a team brings unique perspectives, skills, and goals.

According to former astronaut Cady Coleman, that’s true of space teams as well, despite the misconception that NASA selects crews based on personal chemistry. Because the mission is of the utmost importance, space crews are put together almost solely based on skill. When the stakes are so high, we don’t let our differences derail our success; they often become the reason for it.

In this talk, Cady draws from her time at NASA and her mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to share what makes a high-performing team.

As Dr. Coleman lays out, learning your teammates’ stories, looking for commonalities, and helping each other — as well as being open to help from others — are all necessary to make a successful crew. Coleman illustrates how these elements are key to building any relationship, and will also increase the success of collaborations, and establish a trust that carries you through times of crisis.

Although we don’t always pick our teams, Cady shows how we can maximize their performance, in part by celebrating what everyone brings to the table.

An exceptional leader inspires a sense of mission that the entire crew embraces, and cultivates the kind of collaborative mindset that drives mission success for a crew in space. 

A veteran of two Space Shuttle missions and a six-month expedition on the International Space Station (ISS), Cady Coleman was the Lead Robotics and Lead Science officer aboard the ISS and the only woman on a crew of six.

On the ground at NASA, Cady was known for her ability to facilitate problem-solving among groups with diverse interests by listening and making space for hard conversations. ISS Expedition 26/27 was amongst the first to integrate commercial space companies into the supply process, presenting daunting logistical and technical challenges.

Cady’s innovative leadership skills were key to integrating her multinational crew and their ground teams to drive this high-pressure mission to resounding success.

In today’s ever-shifting technological landscape, where the roles of humans, machines, and data are constantly in flux, these high-level collaboration skills become even more essential.

Cady Coleman is no stranger to isolation. A retired NASA astronaut, Cady flew on two space shuttle missions and spent six months aboard the International Space Station as the Lead Robotics and Lead Science officer.

Cady’s extreme “remote work” experiences also include an Antarctic meteorite collecting expedition — living in a tent 200 miles from the South Pole – and living and working for 11 days in an underwater habitat.

One of the greatest lessons from human spaceflight has come from the opportunity to view the earth from space — seeing the absence of boundaries between countries, continents, and peoples make it clear that Earth – and space— belong to all of us.

Having lived for six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Dr. Cady Coleman has been privileged to see the world from that perspective.