by Lena Bruscato
This year, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary won hearts on both the page and the screen, taking audiences on a journey of resilience and friendship in the face of unbelievable adversity.
In the story (spoilers ahead!), science teacher Ryland Grace finds himself on a mission to save Earth with nothing to guide him except for intermittent bursts of memories. Originally, he has no interaction with life at all, until he makes contact with an alien on a nearby ship. But here’s the problem: The alien “sees” through sound waves and “speaks” by emitting musical chords, leaving them virtually no way to communicate.
While the book may be a work of science fiction set light years away, there are several lessons that hit remarkably close to home for us as PR pros.
Finding Common Ground
Through enormous amounts of patience, ingenuity and trial and error, Grace eventually develops a way for him and Rocky to learn each other’s language – by using time as a standard format. While measured in different units and at different intervals, both beings tell time using symbols, which Grace uses as a starting point to begin translating.
PR Takeaway: In such a collaborative industry, it’s only natural that there will be many different opinions on how to get from Point A to Point B, or on what the end goal even is. But, like Grace and Rocky, chances are you’ll always be able to find some common ground to get started. Maybe it’s a personal connection to the client’s mission, alignment on overarching objectives or a random hobby you find in common. These building blocks of communication can come from anywhere. It may take some education, compromise and patience from both sides, but ultimately, you’ll be able to work more cohesively and productively when everyone is speaking the same language.
Perseverance & Grit
Both in his endeavors to 1) communicate with Rocky and 2) save Earth, Grace faces countless obstacles and moments of defeat. Even once he finds a triumphant solution, he later realizes that his way out created an even larger problem. Instead of accepting failure and giving in to the impossibility of his mission, Grace gets to work on fixing his mistakes and finding new answers without batting an eye.
PR Takeaway: More often than not, the right idea isn’t going to be the first one. Or the second, third or fourth. What separates a good agency from a great agency is the ability to always dig your feet in with a solutions-first mindset. The reality is that nothing is ever going to be 100% smooth, and unforeseen obstacles are often out of anyone’s control. When the going gets tough, the tough get going ... and this determination generates results and resilience.
Integrity
As one of our leading H5 values, we view integrity as a core principle – and Grace is a consummate example of this. Not only does he wake up to face insurmountable responsibility, he also learns that he was sent on the mission against his will for Earth’s greater good. In a situation where most would throw in the towel out of fear or spite, Grace remains unwavering in his commitment to saving the planet.
PR Takeaway: At H5, we do what we say and say what we do. While it’s a simple concept in theory, integrity takes effort and isn’t always the easiest route. Sometimes, integrity means owning up to mistakes or doing things the right way instead of the easy way. Even though it can be difficult or uncomfortable, there is truly no substitute for integrity and the trust it builds between agencies and partners.
Ready to explore how H5 can help you toward your goals with common ground, perseverance and integrity? Check out our capabilities to get started.