While I’ve occasionally revisited movies I love over time, I had never rewatched the same film dozens of times in a short period. The single exception was the movie 《Top Gun: Maverick》.
It was certainly welcoming to see Miles Teller, the protagonist of 《Whiplash》, appear as ‘Rooster’, but the power that kept me coming back to this film lay in the story beyond the fighter jet cockpit.
More than the fast-paced narrative or breathtaking aerial dogfights, Maverick’s relentless attitude of holding onto the purpose—’Why are we doing this work?’—stayed with me much longer.
What Those Who Lead by Example Leave Behind
Maverick did not merely lecture the young aviators with words. Climbing into the jet himself, he flew the flight deemed impossible, demonstrating in action what he intended to teach.
Leadership does not stem from forcing people from the front, but from holding onto the essence and responsibility of work oneself and walking the path first.
Are the familiar processes, reports, and tools we cling to daily truly helping our teams right now? Or are we simply following them mindlessly because the system dictated them?
Especially in times when everything changes rapidly and new technologies flood in, direction matters more than speed, and the attitude of the person wielding the tool matters more than the tool itself.
Because in the end, what flies through the sky, solves problems, and creates value is not the process, but the person.