The Art of Adaptability: Leading Through Unexpected Challenges Written By Shannon Wilburn

Preparing for Departure

I was headed to Nashville to meet up with a “coach” friend, and then we were to travel together to Florida for a coaching retreat.

I needed to put in a full day’s work to take 3 days off before my trip, so I booked an evening flight out of Tulsa.

 Facing Delays: Navigating the Unexpected

 As I was preparing to leave for the airport around 4:30, I got a text notification that my flight had been delayed by 20 minutes.

No biggie…gives me more time to get to the airport, and I might have time to stop by Starbucks - WIN.

I would still have time for my connection, but it would be close.

A few minutes later, another text told me that my flight was delayed even further…now running 50 minutes behind.

Uh-oh…I had better jump online and look at my options because I would certainly miss my connection.

A quick check let me know that there was one later flight to Nashville once I got to Dallas and there were 3 seats available.

I quickly made a phone call, thanking the Lord for “airline status”, as I was able to get through to a customer service agent quickly.

While I was on the phone with her, I got another notification telling me that my flight would now be leaving Tulsa an hour and 22 minutes late.

That flight that I was hoping to get on, from Dallas to Nashville, would be a tight squeeze. I asked her to put me on the flight, and I hoped for the best; after all, I’m an irrational optimist.

 Problem-Solving Under Pressure

Scenarios playing in my mind.

1. I’m sitting close to the front of the plane, so I can do the “I’m gonna make it“ run through the airport when I land in Dallas. I gave myself a 30% chance of catching the flight.
2. If my arrival gate in Dallas and my departure gate in Dallas happened to be in the same terminal, that increased my chances of catching it to 50%.
3. If they held the plane for delayed passengers a few minutes, since it was the last flight out to Nashville, that would increase my odds even more.
4. If we made up time in the air, I would still have a great chance of making it.

In the meantime, I’m also considering other scenarios in case I miss the connection.

1. Maybe I could meet my friend in Florida instead?
2. Maybe my friend can just pick me up from the airport in Nashville the next day, and we leave from the airport.
3. If I miss my connection, will I have access to get my bag in Dallas and get on another airline to make it in time?

These are just a handful of the scenarios rolling through my brain.

When I arrived at the airport in Tulsa with my Starbucks in hand, I checked my bag and asked about the connection in Dallas. The gate agent told me the good news that the flight leaving Tulsa might get bumped up a few minutes, which would give me some breathing room.  Woohoo!

Then she told me, “You are landing in Dallas at C31 and your Nashville flight is leaving from C36”! Double WIN! Only 5 gates between the flights. YES...things are looking better.

I checked my bag in Tulsa and headed to security.

 Adapting to Changing Circumstances

Arriving at the departure gate in Tulsa, I got another text, letting me know that my flight from Dallas to Nashville had a gate change - now it would be leaving out of terminal D. That means I would need to take the train in Dallas to switch terminals. Uh-Oh!

At this point, I would be landing in Dallas at 9:22pm

My flight to Nashville was leaving at 9:50pm.

They stop accepting passengers on the jet bridge 15 minutes before the departure time.

That meant I had exactly 13 minutes to get off the plane and get to my gate.

My chances just went down to 5% since the departure gate is in a different terminal, and Dallas is a large airport.

Again…more problem-solving in my brain….I checked with the gate agent in Tulsa on some of my questions.

1.  How many passengers on this flight are on the last plane to Nashville? 5.  She let me know that in Dallas, that number is too low to consider holding the plane.
2. If I found a flight to Florida instead of Dallas, could I get my bag that I had checked earlier? Yes and no.She said that in Tulsa that would be possible because we are a smaller airport, but in Dallas, my bag would end up in Nashville no matter what and that it would be highly unlikely that I would be able to find anyone to get my checked bag for me. So, if I flew to Florida instead of Nashville the next day, my bag would end up in Nashville…that’s a no go for me!

Whew…so many questions - with no straightforward answers.

Realizing that I probably just needed to expect that I was going to miss my connection and that I would have to go to Nashville, I began looking at flights the next day from Dallas to Nashville.

There were a few, but none would get me there at the time I had hoped.

I looked at other airlines…were they more favorable in terms of time?

At some point, I just had to tell myself that I would problem-solve in the moment depending on what happened.

Then my daughter called. I told her what was going on, and she said “Wow, you have a really good attitude”. I responded with, “well, it’s out of my control so there is no need to have a bad attitude”. I had done everything I could think of to plan and problem-solve, and yet, I was not in control.  And I wasn’t bent out of shape about it.  Was I disappointed? Yes. Was I mad? No.

Leadership Amidst Turbulency

I wanted to share this story because, as entrepreneurs and business owners, we encounter challenges and issues in our businesses every single day. Some we have control over and others we don’t.

Often there are ways that we can problem-solve around them with a cool head and attitude that is reflectiveof what a leader would do – instead of losing our patience and acting beneath our position.

If you are the CEO or Founder of your business, you might should mentally give yourself the title CPS - Chief Problem Solver, as every issue that others are unable to find a solution for, will be put on your plate to solve.

Leading with Grace Amidst Uncertainty

Are you going to do the problem-solving with complaining so everyone around you knows the issue?

Are you going to place blame and be emotionally charged?

 Or…

Are you going to do the problem-solving with grace?

Are you going to take the emotion out of it and try to get above it so that you can have clarity in the moment?

In the whirlwind of delays and unexpected changes, my experience serves as a reminder that the true test of leadership isn't about avoiding the storms, but navigating through them with resilience and foresight.

The unexpected will always be a part of our journeys—both personal and professional. As leaders, our ability to stay composed and solution-focused in the face of adversity is what defines our capacity to lead effectively. Believe me, your team is watching.

In the world of business, much like in the chaos of a disrupted flight schedule, the ability to adapt and respond with agility is what separates the good leaders from the great ones.

Transforming Obstacles into Opportunities

It’s not the challenges themselves that define our path, but how we choose to address them. Embracing the role of Chief Problem Solver isn't just about finding immediate fixes; it’s about fostering an environment where every challenge is seen as an opportunity to innovate and improve.

So, next time you're faced with a business challenge that seems as daunting as missing a crucial flight, remember that your response sets the tone for your team and your company. Approach each problem not as a setback, but as a chance to demonstrate the strength of your leadership and the depth of your resilience.

Let's strive to lead not just with authority, but with grace and optimism, turning every obstacle into a stepping stone for success.

Shine Lesson Learned: The true measure of leadership is shown not in avoiding challenges but in embracing them with poise and optimism, turning each obstacle into an opportunity for growth.

Shine On, Shannon

PS. I made my flight with 3 minutes to spare! :)