Episode 109
In the previous episode, we discussed several factors that go into leadership decision-making. Today, we are entering the core part of our adventure. We will discuss our dilemmas one by one, starting with Process vs. Flexibility. Should we stick to the rules all the time, or should we bend or even break them whenever we see fit? First, let’s travel four decades back in time.
Serpukhov-15: Soviet nuclear early warning system control center
In the chilling darkness of the early morning hours on September 26, 1983, deep within the confines of a Soviet bunker, a drama of potentially apocalyptic proportions began to unfold. The setting was Serpukhov-15, a nerve center of the Soviet military’s early warning system OKO, and the man at the heart of the story was Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Air Defense Forces. Suddenly, the calm was broken by an alarm. The system was indicating an incoming missile from the United States. A moment later, four additional missiles were reported, all coming from the same launch site. The standard procedure in such a situation was clear: report the attack to superiors, who would likely order a retaliatory strike. However, Petrov found himself in a quandary. The system was relatively new, and he had reservations about its reliability.
Moreover, it seemed odd that the U.S. would launch only five missiles in a first strike instead of thousands. With these doubts in mind, Petrov made a risky decision against protocol:
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