Right now I’m sitting in an airport lounge, staring at a flickering departures board and hoping that this rescheduled flight actually takes off. My earlier flight was canceled. This one is still “on time” in theory, but that status means less and less as the evening rolls on.
I’m tired. I’m behind on emails. I’m sipping a Coke Zero that doesn’t taste quite right—too much syrup, not enough fizz. And like so many travelers around me, I’m stuck.
The thing is, you don’t have to be in an airport to feel this way.
There are plenty of times in leadership when we hit a delay. Plans stall. Timelines shift. Control evaporates. We find ourselves in a holding pattern. And the temptation is to push harder, to scramble for control, to make something happen just to feel like we’re making progress.
But sometimes, there’s nothing to push. You’re grounded, like it or not.
And in those moments, the question becomes: How do you lead when you’re not moving?
Stillness Is Part of the Journey
In my experience, stillness can teach more than momentum. It reveals how we react when the noise dies down and our schedule isn’t running the show.
When I’m grounded like this, I get a clearer look at the habits I’ve built. Do I show patience when things are outside my control? Do I treat people with respect even when I’m frustrated? Can I find a calm center when the outer world is anything but calm?
That’s the kind of leadership that doesn’t come from a playbook. It comes from practice.
Practical Leadership Starts in the Waiting
At Funds For Learning, we work with school leaders and library staff across the country. These are people who face delays and roadblocks that have real consequences. Sometimes the rules change mid-application. Sometimes funds are promised but slow to arrive. These aren’t just technical challenges—they’re moments of stress, of waiting, of leading in the in-between.
And our role in those moments is not just to deliver technical answers. It’s to be present. To bring clarity when the process feels murky. To share the weight of uncertainty, not add to it.
That’s leadership. It’s not always flashy. It’s often quiet. But it matters.
What I Try to Practice
So here I am at Gate B28, not doing any of the things I had planned for today. But I’m reminded of a few small practices that help me stay anchored when the schedule goes off script:
- Take inventory. Not just of what went wrong, but of what’s still within reach. What can I do right now? What’s not mine to control?
- Stay kind. No one at the airport caused this delay. But they’re still hearing about it from a hundred different directions. The same is true in our organizations.
- Breathe first, act second. Not every inconvenience requires a reaction. Often, it just asks for a little space and a clear head.
- Let waiting shape you, not harden you. These in-between moments are where patience, grace, and leadership are forged.
Showing Up Anyway
Leadership isn’t about always being in motion. It’s about presence. Especially when forward motion isn’t possible.
That’s what I’m working on right now. Sitting still. Practicing patience. Choosing to show up with clarity and calm, even in a setting that offers neither.
If you’re in your own version of Gate B28 today, I hope this encourages you. You may not be able to take off just yet. But that doesn’t mean your leadership is on pause.
You’re still showing up. And that counts.
Even if your Coke Zero is off.
