I recently finished reading Moonshot by Mike Massimino, and one quote in particular has stuck with me: “Admire and care for everyone on your team.” It’s deceptively simple — and quietly powerful.

Massimino didn’t just pull this out of thin air. He learned it from Apollo astronaut Alan Bean, who realized after returning from the Moon that the success of any mission comes down to how much you respect and care for the people you work with. Spaceflight, like leadership, is high stakes. It demands trust, collaboration, and a deep well of empathy.

It’s easy, especially in fast-paced environments, to treat leadership like a game of tasks and metrics. But people aren’t spreadsheets. They respond to authenticity, to being seen and valued. When you admire your team — not just for what they do, but for who they are — you build a foundation of trust. And when you care for them, especially in hard moments, you earn loyalty that no title alone can command.

This quote reminds me that the best leaders aren’t just the smartest or the most strategic — they’re the ones who show up with heart. It’s not always flashy. It’s not always loud. But it’s how you build a team that would follow you into orbit.

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