One of the roles I've enjoyed in multiple jobs is trying to offer a strong helping of kindness and motivation to others. It isn't just, as you so wonderfully say, coddling people like "there, there pet all will be okay." But it is the ability to offer praise and motivation as each person is deserving and to also offer constructive feedback and criticism for improvement.

Great read as usual Nathan! You would certainly do well as a workplace motivational guru, among numerous other things.