The Hunt for a New Idea
"Jack next time you get a bright idea, just put
it in a memo."
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
I remember seeing this film in theaters when it came out. I didn’t understand the details and particulars at the time, and of course the military jargon was lost on a grade school child like me, even at my reading level. By high school I would watch it along with my father, a huge fan of Tom Clancy and who has several of his books on the shelf at home. Watching it now as a working professional in the AEC industry, I can not only see the demeanor of several engineers I have worked with in these military characters but can also appreciate the strategy, tactics, and level of respect that high-ranking naval officers carry and apply.
Similarly, the same challenges that are shown in this film also occur in our industry, still rigid with tradition in many parts. How is change received in the military, when is an idea truly too crazy to be received, and even if you could pull it off, how would you go about it? All of these questions appear just as much in creative approaches to project management as they do in naval warfare. More distinctly, if someone comes to you with an “outside the box” solution, how would you receive and implement it?
The Review
In the height of the Cold War, political adversaries Russia and the U.S. were at the height of an armaments standoff. Admiral Marko Ramius of the Russian Navy is handed the command of a state-of-the-art submarine capable of running nearly undetectable by sonar technology. On its maiden voyage, the submarine Red October veers off course and, unbeknownst to Russian Command, Admiral Ramius leads the officer crew in a subterfuge mission to defect to the U.S. CIA Analyst Jack Ryan (who would later become the protagonist in a series of hit films played by a gallery of A-list actors) gets intel on the design of the ship, only to learn that it is already to sea and actions are already underway. This intelligence kicks off a cat-and-mouse chase of naval tactics, political intrigue, and suspense.
Jack Ryan then works his way through the Navy and its support to try to connect with the submarine that is tracking Red October. He succeeds in an effort to get to Ramius and ascertain his true intentions, while being chased by the bulk of the Russian Navy that is hunting Ramius to reclaim their prized submarine to keep it out of enemy hands. The film has an intense climax that occurs mainly due to the characters being backed into blindly trusting each other based on experience and gut instinct.
The Take
The plot and characters present three schools of thinking - Marko Ramius, brilliantly portrayed by the legend Sean Connery, representing near-genius level experience and mastery of his craft; Jack Ryan, educated, trained, and talented creative thinker; and Bart Mancuso (who I am using as an example representative of several American military leaders in this film) who uses his experience but also trusts his gut when given new intel - no matter how crazy it sounds. While Ramius and Ryan both present themselves as mavericks of their respective camps, Mancuso is the mediator that presents both experience and protocol tempered with cool response and acceptance of creative solutions. These three players in the story, convoluted with plot twists and political and naval strategy, exemplify a balance of approaches to management strategy and problem solving.
The Americans approach problem solving by embracing creative thinking and “outside the box” solutions juxtaposed to the Russian’s adherence to protocol and command. Their respective cultures inadvertently come through in a deft and balanced manner written throughout the plot and performed throughout the film. Ramius uses his understanding of his adversaries, both internal and external, to his advantage while also leveraging his loyalties within his crew. I bet he plays a mean game of chess.
“Once more, we play our dangerous game, a game of chess against our old adversary - The American Navy. For forty years, your fathers before you and your older brothers played this game and played it well. But today the game is different. We have the advantage.”
Recently a colleague of mine forwarded the term “volun-couraged” in one of our association meetings, referring to a heavy encouragement that results in a volunteering commitment. I know this term all too well having only recently heard it. I can entirely empathize with Jack Ryan and how his ideas are received and actioned. In a key scene early in the film, Ryan is prompted by Admiral Greer (played by film legend James Earl Jones) to report his findings to a committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several military leaders without preparation or warning. He does so as prompted but when his revelation and newly devised theory of Ramius’ intentions (a bolstering eureka moment) cuts through the conference room, he proceeds to share his wild and unchecked theory. This catches the attention of Jeffrey Pelt, who responds to Ryan’s outburst with “when are you leaving?” Just like that, volun-couraged. His quoted line in the film explains a lot of the mentality -
“Listen, I'm a politician, which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies, I'm stealing their lollipops. But it also means I keep my options open.”
The dialogue implies that for all the politicking Jeffrey Pelt does, even he is open to creative solutions when they can serve him.
If this scene represents an acceptance of creative thinking, then the interactions of Captain Bart Mancuso and Seaman Jones, talented and keen sonar tech, represents that trust in action. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is Jonesy taking his analyzed recording to Captain Mancuso and explaining his theory about finding the sound of the Red October’s custom Caterpillar Drive. He seems a bit nervous about his presentation but confident in his findings (a place I have been before too many times). Mancuso sums up Jonesy’s findings:
Have I got this straight, Jonesy? A $40 million computer tells you you're chasing an earthquake, but you don't believe, and you come up with this on your own?
Yes, sir.
Including all the navigation maps?
Sir, I-I've got all the...
Relax, Jonesy. You sold me.
When Jonesy continues to press his theory, Mancuso’s response “Relax, Jonesy. You sold me.” puts him at ease. Mancuso uses this intel to task Jonesy with tracking Red October, sort of like an underwater bloodhound with a scent. Mancuso as a leader and a captain knows when to run with a good idea and put it to use, effectively putting in motion a solution to the entire kerfuffle that Ramius has put them all in.
By far, ever since I first saw this film , my favorite character is Jonesy. He is such a particular talent and knows his skills, and isn’t afraid to speak his mind or share his ideas. Without his intervention and coming forward to Captain Mancuso, the American Navy would never have succeeded in intercepting the Red October. Captain Mancuso knows the talents and strengths of his crew and trusts their gut instincts as much as his own. That kind of trust exists to save lives that only comes from sailors serving on a sunken tin can in the middle of the ocean. In Jonsey’s case he may sound crazy, but crazy saves the day in this film.
Another great relatable scene is Jack Ryan talking out his theories and ideas in the shower. Who hasn’t had their best lightbulb ideas in the shower? Something about the meditation of the alone time and refreshing feel of the water helps you think. In his case he uncovers the way in which Ramius can effectively empty the Red October, a nuclear submarine, of its crew members. It’s a simple and relatable way to show how a creative person can get into another’s thought process. I love Ryan’s talk-it-out-loud approach to even catch up with the details of Ramius’ plan:
They have to want to get off. How do you get a crew to want to get off a submarine? How do you get a crew to want to get off a nuclear sub... [eureka!]
Creative ideas and solutions seem good in a meeting and sound good on paper but until someone believes and supports crazy ideas, they are only thoughts and sounds. Once upon a time there was a man who thought he could put light in a glass bottle and replace oil lamps entirely, and someone had to understand and support his crazy idea. Now we have entire power grids that light up cities at night. Creative ideas are hard to accept in a world filled with procedures and protocols, some based on precedent that no longer applies to how we effectively do business anymore. One of the worst things I’ve ever heard in this industry is “But we’ve always done it this way.” And I’ve contended to deaf ears that if that sentiment exists as part of your company culture, you may as well close up shop. Because you can’t stop progress, and sometimes that starts with a crazy idea. Don’t hire creative thinkers and then crush their ideas. You’ll never find the submarine you’re looking for that way.
