EPISODE · Jun 19, 2026 · 44 MIN
Former SpaceX technical trainer on why some leaders fail to launch, others blast off
from The Fleet Lead · host Endeavor Business Media
It's not rocket science, but people management can be a difficult skill to grasp—especially for those technical employees trained to solve machines rather than personnel. A former pilot instructor and SpaceX training head, Matt Gjertsen has plenty of experience building teams with stellar technical skills. While techs have many attributes that make them ideal managers, they may not realize that management often means stepping away from problems. Gjertsen is promoting his upcoming book based off just that experience: In this episode, Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch asks Gjertsen how to step back from the wrench, build genuine trust, and help technical management truly blast off. Check out Gjertsen's podcast, Leadership Launchpad, here. Timestamps: 01:16 – Introduction 02:39 – Matt Gjertsen’s Background 06:59 – Shift from technical expert to people leader 09:54 – The delegation doom loop 14:21 – Building trust in diverse 17:33 – First principles leadership Framework 24:47 – Navigating generational shifts and labor shortages 30:25 – Root cause analysis for people problems 42:34 – Technique vs. procedure management
What this episode covers
It's not rocket science, but people management can be a difficult skill to grasp—especially for those technical employees trained to solve machines rather than personnel. A former pilot instructor and SpaceX training head, Matt Gjertsen has plenty of experience building teams with stellar technical skills. While techs have many attributes that make them ideal managers, they may not realize that management often means stepping away from problems. Gjertsen is promoting his upcoming book based off just that experience: In this episode, Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch asks Gjertsen how to step back from the wrench, build genuine trust, and help technical management truly blast off. Check out Gjertsen's podcast, Leadership Launchpad, here. Timestamps: 01:16 – Introduction 02:39 – Matt Gjertsen’s Background 06:59 – Shift from technical expert to people leader 09:54 – The delegation doom loop 14:21 – Building trust in diverse 17:33 – First principles leadership Framework 24:47 – Navigating generational shifts and labor shortages 30:25 – Root cause analysis for people problems 42:34 – Technique vs. procedure management
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Former SpaceX technical trainer on why some leaders fail to launch, others blast off
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