In January of 1967, three astronauts — Virgil I. (“Gus”) Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee — were incinerated on the ground while conducting some pre-launch tests for what was to have been Apollo 1. In Innovation the NASA Way: Harnessing the Power of Your Organization for Breakthrough Success, Rod Pyle includes a statement by Gene Krantz (flight director at the Johnson Spacecraft Center in Houston) after that accident. It came to be called “The Krantz Dictum.” Here are his concluding remarks:

“From this day forward, Flight Control will be known by two words: ‘Tough’ and ‘Competent.’ Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will lever again compromise our responsibilities. Every time we walk into Mission Control we will know what we stand for. Competent means we will never take anything for granted. We will never be found short in our knowledge and our skills. Mission control will be perfect. When you leave this meeting today you will go to your office and the first thing you will do there is to write ‘Tough’ and ‘Competent’ on your blackboards. It will never be erased. Each day when you enter the room these words will remind you of the price paid by Grissom, White, and Chaffee. These words are the price of admission to the ranks of Mission Control .”

These remarks help to explain how and why Krantz and his colleagues responded so effectively to another crisis, April 11-13, 1970. Their management skills (including innovative thinking) were later portrayed in a film, Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks as Commander Jim Lovell. Krantz was played by Ed Harris.