October 27, 2026
Former Astronauts Victor Glover And Dr. Bernard Harris Share 5 Leadership Lessons From Space
The two history-making astronauts shared how perseverance, service, and teamwork have shaped their leadership at the 2026 Black Enterprise XCEL Summit for Men.
Success under pressure requires more than technical skill. It demands resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to help others rise. That was the message former NASA astronauts Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. and retired U.S. Navy Capt. Victor Glover delivered last week during a live fireside chat at the 2026 Black Enterprise XCEL Summit for Men. Moderated by Hakeem M. Oluseyi, the CEO of The Astro Society, the discussion explored how their careers in spaceflight, medicine, military service, and mentorship offer lessons in sustained excellence.
Here are five key gems that the history-making astronauts shared about leadership, investing in others, and helping the next generation find a place in the industries shaping the future.
1. Rejection Can Become Preparation
Harris revealed that NASA rejected his first application to the astronaut corps in 1987. Rather than abandon his childhood dream, he used the setback as motivation to strengthen his qualifications. He secured a position at Johnson Space Center and contributed to the development of medical equipment for spaceflight before he reapplied.
“I could have said, well, you know, I’m gonna give up on that dream,” said Harris, the CEO and managing partner of Vesalius Ventures. “Or I could say, what do I need to do to make sure that the next time that they say, we gotta have you?”
Reflecting on the additional burden Black professionals can face in proving their capabilities, he added, “Sometimes you have to show that you have the right to be there.”
2. Mentorship Can Change Career Trajectories
Glover spoke about how he developed leadership skills while serving in the Navy. The retired U.S. Navy captain revealed that he wrestled with the number of Black and Hispanic sailors being discharged after struggling in their assignments. Encouraged by his wife, he began helping the sailors navigate military life through reading groups, critical discussions, and mentorship. He estimated that he directly influenced between 50 and 100 sailors, with some going on to become officers or retire from military service.
Reflecting on why he chose to invest in the sailors, Glover explained how his wife challenged him to reconsider leaving the Navy. “And she said, well, but then you won’t be able to help them. Why don’t you go help them and help them navigate this tour and what it means to be here.”
That experience also taught him that leadership requires recognizing the people behind the performance and helping them succeed.
3. Great Leaders Know When to Follow
Glover said high-performing teams need more than a commanding presence. They require trust, accountability, and the ability to recognize when another person is better positioned to lead.
“Great leaders make leaders,” he said. “The key to the next level of leadership is followership.”
For Glover and his crewmates, that meant allowing people to lead where they were qualified, holding one another accountable, and giving each other grace when mistakes happened.
4. Humility and Human Health
Back in April, Glover served as the pilot for the Artemis II Lunar Mission crewed lunar flyby, where he became the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and fly to the vicinity of the Moon, traveling farther into deep space than any previous human. During the panel, he described the awe of seeing the Moon up close, including a 45-minute solar eclipse and flashes of light his crew documented as possible lunar impact events. The experience, he revealed, reshaped his perspective on humanity’s capacity to unite.
“We know we can do something for us as a species when we want to,” Glover said, reflecting on the global attention surrounding the mission.
Harris highlighted another lesson from spaceflight: The human body must adapt to an environment it was not designed for. Astronauts can lose approximately 1% of their bone mass per month in space, making exercise and medical research essential. He noted that some countermeasures used in space, including strength training and reducing sodium intake, also apply to health on Earth.
5. The Next Frontier Could Create New Business Opportunities
Harris challenged Black entrepreneurs to consider the commercial possibilities emerging from space exploration, including new technologies, infrastructure, and innovations that could generate wealth.
“I want you to start looking at opportunities to create businesses in space,” he told the audience.
He warned that Black communities could miss out on the economic opportunities if they do not participate in the industry’s development.
“If we’re not careful as Black folks, we’re gonna be literally left here on Earth while other folks will be making money,” said Harris, whose career spans medicine, spaceflight, and venture capital.
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