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My wife and I were watching Seconds From Disaster, a TV series that focuses mainly on plane crashes and we noticed a pattern. It was always several things that caused the plane to crash, not just one. Actually, always at least seven, what I have termed, Cascade Events. Any single event by itself, even up to six Cascades, and no disaster. But it’s that one too many that pushes it over the line.
FREE Today is Stuff Doesn’t Just Happen II; my second book covering seven different disasters and examining the seven cascade events leading to them. From that we can learn The Gift of Failure and how to avoid the same.
Below are some epic quotes from each of the seven disasters:
THE CHALLENGER: ORGANIZATIONAL FAILURE
“My God, Thiokol. When do you want me to launch? Next April?” Senior NASA official on a conference call to the manufacturer of the solid boosters, when they recommended on the morning of the launch that it be postponed.
THE SINKING OF THE KURSK
“It’s dark here to write, but I’ll try by touch. It seems like there are no chances, 10%-20%. Let’s hope that at least someone will read this. Hello to everyone. There is no need to despair.” Captain Lieutenant Dmitri Kolesnikov, commander 7th Compartment (turbine room) Russian submarine Kursk.
THE SULTANA EXPLOSION
“If we arrive safe at Cairo it would be the greatest trip ever made on the western waters, as there were more people on board…
