Why Odd Couples Make the Best Creative Partners
Problem-solving lessons from Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong
Odd couples don’t always work, but when they do, they land a crew of people on the moon.
This dynamic duo responsible is, of course, Neil Amstrong, and Buzz Aldrin, the commander and lunar module pilot on board the Apollo 11 mission, respectively. Fifty years ago this week, they made history as the first two humans to step foot on the moon.
Much like Han Solo and Chewbacca, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, or Nick and Norah Charles, Armstrong and Aldrin didn’t seem to have much in common at first glance. Or second glance. Or any glance, really.
Armstrong, for one thing, was stoic, steady, and above all, an engineer.
“It was never about fame or fortune for him. It was about the flying,” First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong author James Hansen told NBC News back in 2018. “The most important thing to him about Apollo 11 was, ‘Let’s fly this lander down to the successful landing and not kill ourselves.’ The act of stepping out onto the lunar surface was, for him, almost an afterthought and very secondary.”
Aldrin, on the other hand, was, well, exactly what you think of when you hear the name “Buzz”: a space cowboy bucking around on the surface of the moon, waving the American flag. This nearly gave Sonny Reihm — project leader for Playtex, which made the astronauts’ space suits — a heart attack. One good tear could’ve killed Aldrin and spelled a PR disaster for his company.
“That silly bastard is out there running all over the place,” Reihm said while watching Aldrin’s galavanting from the Houston mission control room.
Nothing about Amstrong and Aldrin should have made sense. They were ice and fire, oil and vinegar, Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenneger in Twins. But together, they created something bigger than themselves, the legacy of which extends far beyond 50 years.
Not many people have landed on the moon: only 12, to be exact. But everyone from the most buttoned-up CFO to the least organized finger puppet theater entrepreneur has had to work with someone fundamentally different than them in professional style and approach.
Introverts, for example, often struggle to communicate with office extroverts — and vice versa. Hyper-organized people struggle to understand the workflow of freeform thinkers.
Understanding — and acknowledging — the difference in work styles the first step toward bridging the communication gap between those two parties. We asked Dr. Julie Gurner, an executive coach with a doctorate in psychology, how different kinds of thinkers can make their professional odd coupling a productive one.
AG: What kinds of conflicts usually arise in the workplace when two people are both qualified and talented but have different workflows?
Dr. Julie Gurner: Workflow differences can have a massive impact on conflict in the workplace, because it becomes an ongoing stress point rather than a place of continuity. The entire point of workflow is that you’re on the same page, with expectations and process aligned — so when workflows are mismatched, it can be a source of perpetual frustration for both parties.
The best thing you can do is to have these individuals communicate with each other about their process, and actively collaborate on a (likely compromised) workflow process that works for both of them. No matter how talented a person is, you won’t get the best from each of them if they feel held back or unsupported by their colleagues. This gets them on the same page.
Why is it important to talk it out?
JG: Sometimes when personalities have been at odds for a long time, there are resentments and assumptions that prevent them from resolving even general workflow issues effectively. I get called in to address these, and having a well-trained neutral third party can be beneficial to move the conversation ahead.
How can people with different personalities (and even different styles of working) better communicate with each other?
JG: Solid rapport improves productivity because it reduces stressors, whether those stressors are around projects or the other individual’s personality. At work, we’re often thrown in with people who are very different than us, but there are certain tips that make the process of working with them easier…if not pleasant!
Make No Assumptions. A lot of times we assume that colleagues don’t like us, can’t tackle problems, are miserable at work, etc., and we can be wrong. People often have stressors we’re unaware of in their personal life or other variables at play, and jumping to conclusions isn’t useful.
Any examples of this?
JG: I had a team I was once working with where an executive seemed to have become quite short-tempered and it was a common complaint among those who worked with him. Upon pulling him aside, one-on-one, he revealed that his child was struggling with a difficult illness. It was a personal issue that he didn’t want to bring into the workplace, but was always on his mind. While the examples may not always be this extreme, never make assumptions.
Accept Differences. Not everyone will be like you, work like you, or think like you and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that they can’t be equally effective or capable. Accepting that you are different people is a fantastic starting point for growth.
Be Curious. Rather than simply shut them out, learn about who they are. The more you know, the more you will discover that you not only have differences but likely points that you connect on. Even people who seem challenging can have qualities you can appreciate to bridge some of the more difficult times.
What makes two people work well together on a team? What makes for a successful workplace partnership?
JG: Being a fantastic and effective team at work, is often the same as two people being a wonderful team outside of work — just with different goals, so thinking about it that way can be a bit of a mindset hack to frame it. What are the basic elements that make two people an effective team? Effective communication, a disposition of respect & understanding, being and feeling supported by your teammate, being aligned with the goals you are working on, and finding enjoyment with the other person.
I find that a lot of people underestimate the value of finding enjoyment with the other person. Many people spend far more of their awake time at work and with their colleagues than they do even with their families, so being able to have some fun and laugh every now and again is priceless. Having a bit of fun improves your happiness, which reduces the risk of burnout, keeps productivity solid, and should make that Monday morning commute a little less dreadful.
