Gone are the days I would accept any role for a higher pay grade
or a shinier title.
Money is no longer the main driver.
Now it is about something deeper.
Working with someone, not under someone.
Because who you work with shapes who you become.
I have had bosses who tracked tasks.
And leaders who developed people.
One checked boxes.
The other built character.
Real leaders do not buy loyalty.
They earn it through trust, clarity, and consistency.
I do not mind skill gaps.
Technical skills can be learned.
That is why you hire for expertise.
What matters more is emotional intelligence.
Understanding people.
Knowing when to challenge.
Knowing when to steady.
Someone who checks in genuinely.
Someone who asks how you are,
not just what is done.
Someone who treats people as partners,
not parts.
That kind of leadership makes people stay,
even when they have options.
Over a decade and a half in the workforce,
I am grateful that opportunities now come more often.
Calls from headhunters are reminders that there are choices.
But what I look for is alignment.
I am not being picky.
I am being intentional.
Money is important.
But working with a true leader,
in a healthy culture,
That is priceless.