Stuff Happens
What do you do when the meeting, trip, project doesn’t go as you had planned? How do you respond and adjust to that change? Because, it will happen! Not all things are within your control. I hope you know that.
Recently, I was traveling from San Francisco, CA to Chattanooga, TN. My flight departed late, sat on the tarmac for a while, and arrived late into Dallas. Almost everyone on the plane was in a panic to make connecting flights; so much so that they were pushing other people in the aisle. Several of us in the same situation had to say out loud that we also had connecting flights. Reacting in a calm way amidst people in distress sometimes makes them madder – have you ever noticed that? Needless to say, by the time I got to my gate, I had missed my flight. After asking several people, who I thought were gate attendants, I found Victor. I asked Victor if he could put me on another flight to Chattanooga. His comment was, “All the flights are full,” but he could get me to Memphis. Seeing this as a possibility I asked “can you give me a rental car to get to Chattanooga from Memphis?” Victor’s response was “we don’t do that.” “Okay” I said. “What can we do to get me to Chattanooga?” At first, he said, “nothing, all the flights tomorrow are full too.” So, I commented that it wasn’t my fault that I missed the flight, my incoming flight was delayed and I wanted to see how I could get to Chattanooga given that I had to attend a meeting at 5PM the next day. Victor found a flight leaving early the next morning. Yippee! Then, I asked for a hotel, which he gave me along with some meal vouchers. The whole time I was not angry or agitated, however, I was persistent and clear about my requests and needs.
After my experience I reflected on all of the people I see sitting and sleeping on floors in airports, who probably assumed it was their fault they missed their flights and never knew they could ask. When something goes wrong for you, despite all of your best planning, what do you do? Are you able to adjust to the unknown and unexpected? Can you do this in a calm and clear manner? Also, do you treat those who are helping you in a respectful and kind manner? After all they didn’t make it happen to you; they are just bystanders in the process although they are key in making the next steps happen for you.
Preparing for the inevitable will help you adjust when it happens. This doesn’t mean that you can change it – it only means that you are personally able to cope when it does, which it will at some point. And, how you react and respond will influence others willingness to help you. I encourage you to reflect on times when the unexpected “disaster” turned out well and when it went awry. What were the characteristics of each of those events? Then, include those successful patterns in your repertoire of responses. It will make the unexpected more survivable. And, maybe there will be a new lesson or person to “take away” with you!
