Three days before he passed away, he was still reviewing code. That moment changed how we understood leadership forever.
Teams are made up of humans first. But we don't always fully understand what that means until we watch someone choose the team over everything else. Each person has something that drives them, and it's not always the same thing. As leaders, it's easy to assume that what motivates us will also motivate our teams. But that's rarely true.
Years ago, a delivery team was racing against a tight deadline. In the middle of it, one of the key technology leaders was diagnosed with cancer. It was devastating news — the kind that stops everything for a moment.
The team's instinct was simple: whatever he needs, we've got it covered. The job was to give him air cover, to remove every barrier and let him focus on what mattered most — his health.
But he wanted to keep helping. He didn't want to step away from the project. At first, it was hard to make sense of. How could someone facing something so life-changing still want to be part of the day-to-day?
Over time, the answer became clear. It wasn't about the work. It was about the team. The sense of connection and purpose that had been built over time. He didn't want to lose that.
He kept checking in, reviewing code, and supporting his teammates right up until three days before he passed away.
That experience is a reminder that passion and purpose can't be forced or faked — they're earned through trust, belonging, and mutual respect. And when those things exist, people will give everything they have to the team around them.
Sometimes as leaders, we think our job is to inspire others. But the truth is, the people around us often show us what true commitment and courage really look like. Leadership isn't about leading from the front — it's about creating a team that moves forward as one.