You may have missed it among all of the other news, but people have made it back to the Moon.
We haven’t landed on it (although that is on the cards), but NASA has now sent humans further away from planet Earth than ever before on a lunar fly-by, and shown that their new design for a partially-reusable spacecraft is ready for future missions.
The Artemis II mission has been a rare source of optimism in an otherwise bleak news landscape, and has brought many people together. In an age of growing pessimism and general discontent, it’s a demonstration that the value of optimism and good news stories is higher than ever—and that they have the capacity to unite people across increasingly stark divides.
One small step
In a veiled jab at conspiracy theorists, the Artemis II mission successfully blasted off on April 1st 2026. The mission has already set several records thanks to its American and Canadian crew, including the oldest person, first person of colour, and first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit. As well as testing the viability of the new Orion spacecraft, the mission will gather data on the effects of zero-G, radiation, and other elements of space travel on the human body.
The mission is the first of several planned by NASA in the near future. The intent is for Artemis III to test new lunar landers in low earth orbit, with Artemis IV finally returning humans to the surface of the Moon in 2028. The project has involved partnerships with several companies to design and build the spacecraft and propulsion system, including Lockheed Martin, Airbus, and SpaceX.
The renewed push to return to the Moon for the first time in nearly 60 years is at least partly thanks to the interest of President Trump. His first administration set goals of returning to the Moon and landing on Mars, founded the United States Space Force, and refocused NASA to source more third-party investment and collaboration. The vast majority of his space policies were actually retained and supported by President Biden, marking a rare point of agreement between the two.
Bridging the divide
The fact that an effort spearheaded by President Trump, led by a Trump appointed NASA director, and heavily involving Elon Musk has been so universally lauded and admired is itself cause for reflection. You would struggle to find more divisive personalities in general life or in business, as we’ve reflected on before. The fact that Artemis II has generated so much positive press is a testament to the enduring power of our fascination with space, but also the unifying power of good news and aspiration.
There is something to be learned here. Most businesses don’t have the capacity to go to space, but they are grappling with many of the same issues. There is a general discontent growing among younger people in particular about the roles businesses play in the world, and the fulfilment offered by their jobs. At the same time, the economic climate and rise of AI mean that the outlook for many businesses isn’t great, and many employees feel that their job security is under threat. This is a potent mix for unhappiness, and by virtue of this, low productivity.
Aspirational messaging could represent a light in this growing darkness. The trick, though, is identifying what you can be aspirational about. Moving towards something that makes people optimistic, that gives them greater drive and purpose, requires that you can identify a realistic goal or target that is also interesting and exciting enough to bring people on board. What that looks like will differ depending on your industry, but it also needs to be something universally positive, and not liable to create even more division.
Uniting the workforce
So what could this look like for most organisations? The most obvious example might be some form of community outreach. This might be easier to accomplish as a smaller business, but is something you could coordinate with local offices to carry out in a way that staff can connect to. What this looks like is open to discussion: a simple donation, a partnership to bring more attention to a worthwhile cause, or donating your own products and expertise. Anything which allows people to feel that both their work as staff and their money as customers or clients are also benefitting a cause they recognise can be a major boost.
Of course, it may be that you are already undertaking charity work or donations, or contributing to another cause. It may even be the case that you have an aspirational goal or mission as an organisation which already has the capacity to motivate people, but which simply isn’t being felt or understood to a significant enough degree. In these cases, you might benefit from better communication.
Courses like our Influence, Persuasion and Negotiation Skills can help you to better explain such work to staff, making the positive influence you’re having more tangible to them, and connected to their daily work. More traditionally, our Management Development Programme is ideal for teaching the skills that help to inspire teams, shifting culture and setting a strategic direction that emphasises your mission statement, and the positive effect you aim to have on the world.
In an age as seemingly volatile as the one we currently live in, good news is in short supply. Businesses need to go to extra lengths to motivate their employees, looking beyond just individual goals and rewards, and towards something more holistic and wider reaching. Beyond just looking for their next promotion, people increasingly need a different kind of motivation, one which gives them faith that they are doing something positive.
The unifying power of Artemis II is a demonstration that there are still events which can bridge political chasms, and bring a diverse array of people together. The challenge for leaders of all stripes is to find these uniting forces, invest in them, and convince the people they lead to come along for the ride.
