May 2007

Simple Lessons from an Airport Greeting                             May 2007

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to witness something pretty spectacular. I had just arrived on a flight home from Minnesota, and was racing through the airport headed for the parking garage. It was late, and I was eager to get home.

As I approached the escalator to baggage claim, I noticed a dozen or so people standing on the other side of security waiting for arriving passengers. A few people were talking on their cell phones. Some were chasing their kids. One lady was reading a book. Nothing out of the ordinary --- until I got a little closer.

Just as I got to the security line, a young lady emerged from the small crowd with her eyes locked solidly on someone behind me. She had a smile on her face and a look in her eye that indicated she was greeting someone she'd missed terribly. After she almost knocked me down running toward the person behind me, it was apparent that she couldn't see anything in the airport but her target. Her world stopped spinning for that moment.

As she ran past me, I took a few steps forward and stepped to the side so I could look back and witness the encounter. Who could she possibly be greeting with that kind of eagerness and love? When they embraced, it became obvious. She embraced a man wearing a United States Army uniform. He was returning from a year-long tour of duty in Iraq. As I stood there and watched while other arriving passengers hurried to their cars, I felt I was peeking in the window of their souls.

With all the changes to air travel, there are many things I miss. I miss being able to keep my shoes on at the security checkpoint. I miss on-time departures and arrivals. But mostly, I miss those airport greetings. Do you remember when family and friends would gather at the gate in anticipation of seeing loved ones walk off the plane? I miss that. Although they're less frequent, they're moving when you get to experience them.

Airport greetings are less often, and normally take place at the car after someone has driven around the airport 47 times. Even the greatest of reunions can be severely disheartened when you've made the loop around the airport 47 times. You could be meeting a twin you were separated from at birth, and 47 loops around the airport would lead to a terse, "Get in!" upon their exit from baggage claim.

Some of you may be wondering why I've shared the story above. Am I some weirdo who checks people out at the airport in their most personal moments? Not normally --- I'm trying to cut back. No, I told that story because I learned a few things from a seemingly common occurrence that most people would just walk by, including:

Don't be afraid to show a lttle affection

Some people don't like showing emotions in public. Some don't think it's appropriate, and others just aren't comfortable doing it. However, my experience in the airport reminded me that people are watching. In a world of road rage and random shootings, it's nice to see a little affection. So the next time you're walking with your spouse or significant other, reach over and hold their hand. It won't kill you, and it will set the example for others to follow.

Get out of the car

There's something wrong with the fact there were a dozen people waiting to greet their friends and family inside the airport and 60 cars making the loop outside the airport. The next time you go to the airport to pick someone up, park your car and go inside to greet them. It shouldn't matter if they've been gone a year to Iraq or a day to Little Rock. Don't use the excuse that you can't go to the gate anymore. You can greet them at security. Sure it takes a little effort. So what? Surprise someone. And by all means, don't go park in a "cell phone lot" and wait for them to call when they get on the ground. Whether you make the loop 47 times or sit in a cell phone lot, they may think they aren't worth the dollar to park the car! I'm betting if they're worth getting off the couch to pick up at the airport, they're worth the dollar. Get out of the car.

Be grateful for those close to you

Since San Antonio is home to several military bases, it's not uncommon to see tearful reunions at the airport. When they're seen, it is a true blessing to know their loved ones made it home safe, and an inspiration to see the joy on their faces when they reunite. But I can't help but wonder why we wait until we think we may lose someone to truly show how grateful we are for those close to us. Does someone have to come home from war for us to get excited? Stop today and let someone know how grateful you are for them.

Simple lessons in everyday occurrences. You don't have to hang around airports to find them. You just have to be willing to look around on a daily basis. When you discover some of those simple lessons, learn from them. And once you've benefited from them, pass them along. When you do, you've experienced true everyday leadership. Here's to the next lesson. God bless!

Enthusiastically, 

Clint Swindall - President & CEO

*Book Review

Promise Me, by Harlan Coben

Here's what I've been reading lately ...

I'm a huge fan of business books. I read them all the time, usually trying to learn as much as I can about a particular topic. As a result, I can end a book so exhausted from trying to learn so much that I forgot to enjoy it.

This past month I had finished the book I was reading on a trip, and searched the shelves in a bookstore to find a good read to take with me on a plane. While I would normally find a business book, I chose a fiction book. My head was full of information, and I just needed something to enjoy.

So this month I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to recommend a fiction book, Promise Me by award-winning author Harlan Coben. In fact, since some of you may not be non- fiction fans, I'm not even going to bother with a description of the book. You see, the plot is not the reason for the recommendation. The recommendation comes from our need to do something different every now and then. I'm not a suspense novel reader, but it flushed out all the clutter in my head. In the process, I think you'll enjoy a great book by an incredible author. You may not learn anything, but you'll find it an enjoyable, relaxing read.

*Welcome New Subscribers

Over 300 Subscribers Added in May

We'd like to extend a special welcome to the new subscribers to Everyday Leadership. Specifically, we'd like to welcome: California Bankers Association, Choice Hotels International, KFC (Great Lakes Region), and the Association of Washington Cities.

For those of you who have just joined us, an archive of past Everyday Leadership newsletters is posted on the Verbalocity Web site. Regardless of when you joined the mailing list, you have the opportunity to enjoy any past issues. Welcome!

* Raise a Glass

A reason to celebrate

This month we raise a glass to Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died serving our nation. On May 28th, most people will take advantage of a day off from work and gather with friends and family. Sadly, many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. As you fire up the grill or relax on a boat, do me a favor. Stop for a moment and appreciate those men and women who lost their lives defending the freedoms of our country. To each and every one of them, we raise a glass!

*Quotes

Inspirational thoughts

"The hardest of all is learning to be a 'well' of affection, and not a 'fountain' --- to show them that we love them, not when we feel like it, but when they do."
- Nan Fairbrother

"If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favorite cat, they, too, would purr."
- Martin Delany

"Do you have any idea what it means to come home every night to a companion who'll give you a little love, a little affection, a little tenderness? It means you're probably in the wrong house, that's what it means."
- Unknown

*Question to Ponder

Some time to think

In my book review this month I wrote about our need to do something different every now and then. As I indicated, I'm not a suspense novel reader, so it was a real shift for me to read something just to enjoy it. I learned something about myself. I learned that it's OK to relax and enjoy an interesting read. I used to look at people who were wrapped up in a novel and wonder how they could get any enjoyment from reading a novel when there was nothing to be learned. For me, that must have been a huge waste of time. I realized I had it all wrong.

In fact, not only did I learn how to simply enjoy the read by doing something different, I found a new interest. You see, since reading Promise Me earlier this month, I've just finished my third Coben novel!

So that is my question for you to ponder this month. At the beginning of each day, I want you to ask yourself that one simple question ... is there anything different I can do today that will clear the clutter from my head and just maybe give me a new perspective on life?