A Flight Delay That Turned Into Something More
Most of my Dialogue Miles™ stories begin with intentional walks in nature, conversations that unfold as I walk alongside someone. But last night was a reminder that meaningful dialogue doesn’t always wait for a planned moment. Sometimes, you find it at 30,000 feet.
Returning from NYC on a Delta Air Lines flight, the dreaded weather announcement rerouted us to Louisville for refueling. What could have been a frustrating delay turned into something else entirely. The woman beside me asked to borrow a phone charger. A simple gesture that opened the door to a rich, spontaneous conversation about the global supply chain, AI, family, and Backroads bike trips.
That 90-minute diversion became a highlight of the journey. It reminded me how often we sit next to perspectives that can nudge us to think tangentially to our norm if we stay open.
Thank you, Kathryn Thompson, for the unexpected insight and connection. You pushed me to think about some of the sectors I work in from a very different angle.
A Few Things That Stayed with Me
Inspiring people are often right next to you.
You just have to stay curious enough to engage.A delay can be an opportunity.
Not just an inconvenience.Communication skills matter.
Clarity, honesty, and connection make all the difference.
And as a safety-focused leader, I want to applaud the Delta pilots for modeling communication at its best: clear, informative, and accurate. That kind of leadership in the cockpit sets the tone for everything else.
Here’s to more unexpected Dialogue Miles: on trails, in terminals, in the air, and wherever curiosity leads. I thank Kathryn for inspiring me to think about some of the sectors I work in in a very different manner.
