EP223: One People, One Mission
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I have been riding the high of the Artemis II mission that took place in April of 2026 — and I couldn't not bring it to the podcast.
If you weren't following along: Artemis II was a 10-day test flight with a crew of four that traveled further than any human has in over 50 years. They orbited the moon, went around its backside and saw things no human had ever seen before, and came home talking about love, unity, and each other. NASA streamed much of it live — mission control in Houston, the crew in the spacecraft, their reflections and their work and their humanity on full display.
I followed every single day. And it was riveting.
What really captured me wasn't the science — though that was extraordinary. It was the human aspect of this mission. The vulnerability. The honesty. The love. The teamwork and togetherness between this crew and mission control. It was constant, it was unscripted, and it was beautiful.
Someone posted this on Instagram during the mission: "Artemis II is competency porn and we are starving for it." And another post said: "Nobody told me that watching competent people do a hard thing correctly would be the most therapeutic experience of my adult life."
Yes. That. Exactly that.
In a world that can feel heavy and divided and exhausting, this mission felt like coming up for air. A gentle reminder of what is possible. Of how humans and our relationships can be — and how they should be.
In this episode, I want to share some of the quotes that stayed with me from this crew — and connect them to what they mean for you as a leader.
Quotes
"In all of this emptiness - this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe - you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist in together." — Victor Glover
Imagine looking back at earth from the darkness of deep space. Everything around you is nothing — and then there is this.
To me this quote is about perspective. We can lose sight of the gift of the people around us — our team, our organization — especially when we're heads down in the grind. But what do you see when you step back? When you pause and look at your work and your team not as a set of problems to solve but as an oasis?
And here's the part I love most: you are the oasis too. You are in a place where you get to exist and decide. What would it look like to see yourself that way?
"No matter where you're from or what you look like, we are one people. This mission has shown us what we can do when, not just put our differences aside, but when we bring our differences together to accomplish something great." — Victor Glover
We are one people. We share this in common — we are all human. And we have very distinct human needs that every one of us experiences.
Yes, we have differences. And we can put those aside — that's amazing. But when we actually bring our differences together? That is when the real magic happens.
This is the heart of the Insights Discovery® work I do. It's not about tolerating differences or managing around them. It's about understanding them, leveraging them, and working through the hard stuff together. Diversity is not a box to check. It is a superpower — when we treat it like one.
"Looking back on earth, it truly emphasized how alike we are — how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive." — Christina Koch
That same thing? Connection. Belonging. Knowing that we matter.
Some people in organizations call this the "fluffy stuff." But it is everything. And you as a leader have every opportunity to create that for your team — every single day. This is how you get the results you want. This is how you create environments that truly pull people in.
"We will always choose earth. We will always choose each other." — Christina Koch
She said this from space. Looking back at earth.
This one is about what you commit to when things get hard. What do you always choose? The accolades? The bigger paycheck? The self-promoting speak? Or your values, your people, your why?
Do you choose the easy way — or do you choose to work through the discomfort?
It's all a choice. And the leaders who are clear on what they always choose are the ones who create the most trust.
"It was the most spectacular moment and it paused all four of us in our tracks." — Reid Wiseman
The word pause. I love it.
We are so conditioned to keep moving, keep deciding, keep producing. We aren't great at pausing — at pausing to consider what the best next thing is, or to celebrate what we've done, or to just be present in a significant moment.
Being stopped in your tracks by something beautiful is not a weakness. It is a way of being present.
When did something at work last cause you to pause? And what did you do with that?
"Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of. It's your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the Moon." — Jeremy Hansen
Leaders, you carry more than you know.
It's not just about the work and the results. It's your team's belief in what's possible. Their engagement. Their willingness to take risks. And all of that is tied to whether you hold the vision.
You are carrying people's hope. That needs to be taken seriously.
And you are capable — of having the hard conversation, of getting through change, of creating connection and helping your team live into their potential. Don't underestimate what you carry. Don't underestimate what you're capable of.
"Only when you challenge yourself do you tap into your potential and discover your true capabilities." — Christina Koch
You can't know what you're capable of from the safety of the familiar. Leadership growth — personal growth — requires discomfort. It requires you to stretch.
Don't get too comfortable.
"All you have to do on any given day is just get up and do your best and try to find joy in your day and try to contribute in a meaningful and positive way." — Jeremy Hansen
Doesn't he make life sound simple?
That simplicity is wisdom. Leaders tend to overcomplicate. We let the inner critic be loud. We get caught up in frameworks and methodologies and pressure.
What if every day you just asked: How can I make this simple? How can I make this fun? And how can I make my biggest impact today?
"Just trust me. You are special." — Victor Glover
This is my coaching belief wrapped up in one sentence.
Part of your job as a leader is to see people. To name what they can't see in themselves. Because when we're inside our own heads, we often can't see it. So say it anyway. Say it often. Because when someone believes they are special — they show up that way.
"When you look up here, you're not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you. If you like what you see up here, look a little deeper. This is you." — Jeremy Hansen
We tend to put people on pedestals — which puts us below them. But if you see something in someone else that inspires you, that's not about them. That's a reflection of what's already in you.
And your team reflects you too. If you show up with anxiety and disengagement, they will too. If you show up with hope, inclusiveness, and psychological safety — they will reflect that back.
What are you reflecting to your people right now?
“Always do the things that might even scare you. The things that intimidate you. The things you think that maybe are beyond your reach. But actually, when you achieve them, you learn the most about yourself, and you bring the most back to the world.” - Christina Koch
This one is pretty direct. And it speaks right to the Confidence key in my Three Keys to Leadership Magic framework.
You can't know what you're capable of from the safety of the familiar. Leadership growth — personal growth — requires discomfort. It requires you to stretch outside of that zone.
And when we start creating that evidence — when we do the things that scare us and discover we're still standing on the other side — that is when confidence is built. That is when we show up as better versions of ourselves. And that is when our teams and our communities get the gift of what we have to share.
Don't get too comfortable.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." — Reid Wiseman
It took four humans trusting each other in the deepest possible way to literally go far. That's not a metaphor — that's what happened.
You can probably get somewhere faster alone. But if you want real impact, sustainable results, something that matters to the greater good? It takes a team. It takes trust. It takes going together.
What Great Leaders Do
My biggest takeaway from this crew is that they weren't pointing at themselves. They were pointing outward — at what is possible, at what humans and leaders are capable of when we show up with character, confidence, and connection.
And then they came home. After everything they saw and felt — they came back and shared it with us.
That's what great leaders do. You do the inner work first. You gain the perspective. And then you bring it back — to your team, your people, your organization, your community.
That is the magic. Not just staying up there — but what you return with.
What Do You Think?
Which one of those quotes resonate with you most?
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