Recently, I traveled across the country to facilitate a leadership retreat for a client. During the long journey, I had three experiences that turned into valuable workplace lessons I thought would be beneficial to share.
1. The Art of the Pivot
I had to leave home at 2:45 a.m. (yes, 2:45 a.m.!) on Wednesday morning to get to LAX. I checked in, got my boarding pass, and managed to get through security smoothly. I took a seat with plenty of time to spare, only to hear the words none of us like to hear: “Your flight is delayed.”
What compounded my concern was a very tight connecting flight—which, sure enough, I missed. The rescheduled flight (out of Dallas) actually took me backward (to Chicago), and I eventually arrived at my destination in Alabama about seven hours later than planned. All in all, it was a challenging 20-hour travel day.
The Lesson: Go with the flow and look on the bright side. While other passengers were getting angry with the ground crew, I recognized that none of this was within my control. The best I could do was remain polite and calm. On the plus side, I managed to get a mountain of work done in the lounges and on the plane.
2. Adaptation vs. Resentment
It would be inappropriate to name the client, but I must provide some context for this lesson. Company A (our client) had taken over a major contract from Company B. My client had retained several leaders from the original company.
During the retreat, I noticed two distinct types of leaders from Company B:
- The Contributors: These leaders were open-minded. They wanted to make a positive contribution and acclimate the new team. While they voiced their opinions when they disagreed, it was clear they wanted to be part of Company A’s future. I have no doubt they will be making superb contributions six months from now.
- The Critics: These individuals were highly critical of Company A’s ideas. I could sense an underlying resentment regarding the lost contract. Frankly, I’m not sure I’ll see these individuals at the implementation review in six months.
The Lesson: Change is the only constant. We must be flexible and supportive to survive in today’s marketplace. Employers want you to have a backbone, but don’t get so stuck in the past that your new employer finds you frustrating to work with in the present — and unnecessary for the future.
3. The “Recline” Ripple Effect
The third lesson I learned was how a simple act of selfishness may provide a marginal level of satisfaction to one person while causing great discomfort to another. Yes, I’m talking about the airplane seat recline button.
Thankfully, this didn’t happen to me, but to the businessman next to me. He was working diligently on his laptop when the passenger in front of him “did the deed.” That tiny bit of extra comfort for the person in front had a massive negative impact on my neighbor; those 2 inches tilted his screen so far down he could no longer see it. He eventually gave up and watched “Seinfeld” reruns instead.
The Lesson: We must ensure that our “marginal benefits” don’t cause distress to colleagues, vendors, or — worst of all — customers. The workplace is an interdependent construct. When we act independently in interdependent situations, things break down. Simply put: It is damaging to think “Me” instead of “We.”
Those were the three reminders I picked up on the way to Alabama and back. I hope you find them useful.
Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). For questions or comments, email Butler at [email protected].
