Dave — A Masterclass in Leadership

When I first crossed paths with Dave, we were both new hires — him stepping in as the supervisor, me coming on as the Network Engineer. It didn’t take long before I started noticing how he handled things. I’d catch myself watching, almost without meaning to, like leaning toward a porch light on a summer night without thinking about it.

I never asked where he picked it up, and maybe it didn’t matter. Whatever the case, Dave made leadership feel natural — like it was just part of who he was. He knew the big ideas, like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but it never felt like a lecture. He’d just work it into the moment, and you’d find yourself thinking, “Huh… that actually makes sense.”

Same thing with the Myers-Briggs personality types. He never pulled out a form or made us take a quiz. It was more like he kept a mental notebook, using it quietly to figure out how people ticked and what might help them get unstuck.

Even when he moved higher up the ladder, he didn’t vanish behind a wall of meetings. If you sent him a message, he got back to you. If you were drifting, he’d toss you a quick word or two to get you back on track.

Looking back now, I realize a lot of what I know about motivating people came from him — not in big “training moments,” but in little things I picked up along the way. He showed me that meeting people where they are isn’t just about patience. It’s about respect, and it’s where real progress starts.

Ode to Dave: Here’s to the leader who taught by example, inspired through action, and left a lasting mark on those fortunate enough to work alongside him.