Hidden Figures

Synopsis

Key Players

Katherine Johnson

Mary Jackson

Dorothy Vaughan

Katherine Johnson

Story Arc: Who Katherine Was

• Black woman from West Virginia, born in 1918
• A Star Pupil- Katherine surpassed her peers in academics and attended WV State College and was then chosen as 1 of 3 Black Students to integrate into their flagship school, WVU.
• Worked for the all-black West Area Computing section at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ Langley lab, eventually assigned to help with Al’s Space Task Group
• Educator, Mother of Three Daughters, Friend of Mary and Dorothy

What She Contributed:

Instrumental computer of the flight trajectory for the launch of the first aircraft into space

Went on to perform calculations for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon & the Space Shuttle

Leadership Qualities & Assets: Persistent, Determined, Self-Advocate, Intelligent, Observant

Challenges She Faced:

Working in a context segregated by race and sex- different bathrooms, division of space, discrimination from white coworkers

Katherine

Johnson

Al Harrison

Story Arc

• Loosely based on real life Robert Gilruth, as Director of Space Task Group
• Aerospace Engineer and Space Pioneer
• Tasked to compete against Soviet Union and the space race
• Putting a man into space

What he contributed

• Significant support for Katherine, provided her with opportunities to prove herself
• Broke barriers to segregation within his unit and demanded respect for Katherine and her contributions to the space race
• Key driver to change, demanded respect and results from team

Leadership qualities and assets

• Stoic, goal-oriented, well-spoken, figure-head , direct , honest , open to feedback

Challenges he faced

• Soviet Union surpassing USA during space race and adjusting goals
• Leading resistant members of the group
• Breaking barriers of segregation and discrimination

Al Harrison

Dorothy Vaughan

Story Arc

• Born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1910
• American Mathematician and computer programmer
• Lead West Area Computing Unit of National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics later referred to as NASA , a segregated unit
• Referred to as West Computers
• Later became NASA’s first African American manager
• Mother of 2 sons shown in movie, 6 children in real life

What she contributed

• Demanded supervisory role for West Area Computing Unit
• Taught her unit about IMB 7090 machine and its functions
• Discovered the correct programming for IMB machine and got it to function correctly
• Advocated for her unit to work on it with her

Leadership qualities and assets

Strong, passionate, determined, goal-oriented, advocate, protective, kept interest of others at heart, lead by example , inspirational

Challenges she faced

• Segregation prevented her from accelerating to a management position
• Was not provided equal pay for her role as leader to her unit at first
• Dealt with racism and access to education at public library with her sons

Dorothy Vaughan

Mary Jackson

Story Arc

Born in Hampton, Virginia in 1921

American Mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) later referred to as NASA

She started as a computer at a segregated West Area Computing division in 1951

She took advanced engineering classes in 1958

Became the First Black Female Engineer at NASA.

Married to Levi Jackson Sr, a sailor in the US Navy, and had 2 children (a boy and a girl)

Died February 11th, 2005 at age 83.

What she contributed

Analyzed data from wind tunnel experiments and real-world aircraft flight experiments.

Authored and Co- authored 12 technical papers for NACA and NASA.

Worked to make changes for women and minorities who were accomplished in the mathematics, science and engineering.

Leadership qualities and assets

Determined, goal-oriented, advocator, smart, strong willed, knowledgeable , sacrificed some of her management positions to help underserved women, inspirational.

Challenges she faced

Dealt with racism to access education fought in court to get permission for her engineering classes.

Fought in court to get permission for her engineering classes.

Black woman to take classes in Virginia tech all white male classes.

Mary

Jackson

Situational Leadership

Northouse (2013) describes situational leadership as both directive and supportive.

Further work by Hersey and Blanchard (1969) mentions that leaders should match their style to the competence and commitment of their subordinates

Focuses on using a leadership style appropriate for the given situation.

Situational Leadership

Situational Leadership in Hidden Figures:

Al- Becoming a more supportive leader than direct when Katherine expresses concerns.

Katherine- When Katherine comes back from going to the bathroom drenched from the rain, she changes her silent reserved demeanor and passionately expresses her frustrations.

Mary- When Mary is convincing the judge to let her take night classes, she shifts her demeanor.

Transformational Leadership:

Transformational Leadership

"Those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers’ needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization” (Bass & Riggio 2006:3).

Four Characteristics posited by Bernard Bass:

• intellectual stimulation
• individualized consideration
• inspirational motivation
• idealized influence

Transformational Leadership in Hidden Figures:

Al- His work with the Space Task Group, and influence on

Paul Stafford.

Dorothy- Her work as a leader with the West Computing Group

and impact on Mrs Mitchell.

Leadership Ethics:

Leadership

Ethics

Dimensions of Ethical Leadership according to Northouse (2009:158):

• Character- trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship
• Values
• Actions- speak to their ethics
• Goals
• Honesty
• Power- self-reflexive

Leadership Ethics in Hidden Figures:

Katherine- transparent about her needs and abilities

Dorothy- Only accepting the transfer to new position if the rest of the women go with her

Mary- claiming space for herself within a classroom setting for white men

Al- eliminating segregated bathrooms, having Katherine attend meeting