The Work Will Never Love You Back, But People Might
Ctrl Zed

Ctrl Zed @leaddontctrl

About: Tech leader writing for the devs who got tired of bad bosses, broken culture, and Jira theater. Real talk about leading without controlling. LeadDontCtrl.com

Location:
Michigan
Joined:
May 20, 2025

The Work Will Never Love You Back, But People Might

Publish Date: Jun 21
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Let’s be real for a second:

You can give your job everything—your nights, your weekends, your mental bandwidth, and it’ll still lay you off with a LinkedIn post and a blank stare.

Because the work doesn’t love you.

It doesn’t care that you stayed late. It won’t remember that you “just popped on” during PTO. It won’t ask how your kid’s recital went.

But your team might.

Your people might.

Humans might.


🚫 Output Isn’t Legacy

You won’t be remembered for your velocity metrics or how many Jira tickets you crushed.

You’ll be remembered for the moment you said, “Take care of yourself first.”

For shielding someone from a dumpster fire.

For making someone feel like they belonged in tech when everything else told them otherwise.

That’s leadership.


🧠 Want to Make a Real Impact?

Stop giving your soul to the sprint board.

Start showing up for your people.

  • Protect their time.
  • Model boundaries.
  • Celebrate them without needing to be the hero.

Because at the end of the day, your code won’t show up at your funeral. But your teammates might.


👀 Want more hard truths and rebellious leadership content?

Check out LeadDon'tCtrl.

Comments 1 total

  • Matt Hogg
    Matt HoggJun 23, 2025

    100%!

    The real flex isn’t being irreplaceable to a company, it’s being unforgettable to a human being.

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