Every year on the Fourth of July, Annapolis does something remarkable.

For hours, people jockey for a spot. On balconies and rooftops downtown. On the Spa Creek bridge. Anchored in the creek. Tied up along a dock. Rafted in the river.

And then, for 25 short minutes, we all do the same thing—together.

We watch fireworks.

No matter your political beliefs or personal traditions, no matter what you grilled that day or whether you even celebrate the holiday… for those 25 minutes, we are unified by the shared human thrill of light and sound and sky.

And then it’s over. The traffic begins. Foot traffic, car traffic, boat traffic. The brief moment dissolves as we all scramble to get home before it’s too late.

But that shared moment—however fleeting—matters.

We’re losing those.

The universal moments.
The ones where everyone knows where they were when something happened.

When peace was declared.
When JFK was shot.
When the Challenger exploded.

These days, we live in algorithmic isolation. Tailored feeds. Filtered experiences. Even major news breaks differently depending on what apps we use and which voices we follow.

But humans are wired for shared moments. So are teams.

As leaders, we need those 25-minute “fireworks moments.”
We need the integrative people—the ones who connect across silos, cultures, and disciplines.
We need experiences that remind us we are part of something larger.

AND we need the other half of the equation.
The privacy.
The specialists.
The deep-focus people who hold the flame while others gather around it.

Great leadership is a dance between the universal and the unique. Between belonging and brilliance.

So here’s the question:
Are you creating those fireworks moments for your team?
Are you building the kind of culture where people can both shine in their specialty and see themselves as part of the shared sky?

Because innovation isn’t just about disruption.
It’s about integration.

And leadership?
Sometimes it’s about making space for 25 minutes of shared awe.