Life Lessons in Transit
Leadership isn't always wrapped in a workshop or spotlighted in a keynote. Sometimes it sneaks in through rhythm and reflection—on a street corner in Nashville, a red-eye flight, or a walk through an unfamiliar city. This week, I stepped back from traditional leadership themes to tune into the unexpected lessons that surfaced through travel and real-world experience.
Here are three personal moments—each reminder that insight lives everywhere, if we’re paying attention.
Three Key Takeaways
1. Performance at CMA Fest: Community, Celebration, and Joy
This past weekend in Nashville, we witnessed something truly special: A band performing live at CMA Fest 2025. It was inspiring and joyful as I watched people dancing, and a highly diverse band perform at a high level. It was a living reminder of what’s possible when we lead with joy, inclusion, and pride.
Lesson: Sometimes, we need to see excellence outside the boardroom to remember what it looks like in full color.
Action: Seek out a unique community celebration and show up with curiosity. Bring an up-and-comer from the company. Then share what you experienced.
2. The Irony of Travel: Early Flights vs. Red-Eye Flights
Anyone who travels frequently knows this story. You book an early flight, dreaming of coffee and Wi-Fi, only to hear there’s no food or signal. Then, on the red-eye home, you’re offered snacks every 20 minutes and the Wi-Fi is fast and free. It’s maddening—and hilarious.
Lesson: Travel humbles you. Plans don’t always cooperate. But humor, flexibility, and perspective make great travel companions.
Action: Embrace the chaos of your next trip. When things go sideways, write it down. These moments often become the stories that matter.
3. From Dependent to Independent Traveler
A few years ago, I relied on others to manage nearly every detail of business travel. But now, I’ve started doing it all myself—booking, planning, navigating. I’ve met more people, wandered into better food, and gotten lost in the best way. While I still deeply value the support I once had, this new approach has become a quiet adventure I never knew I needed.
Lesson: Independence doesn’t mean doing it alone—it means rediscovering yourself.
Action: Plan a complete work trip on your own. See how it changes what you notice and who you meet and the resulting conversations.
Closing Thought
This week, I didn’t sit in a conference room to learn something new. I stood in a crowd in Nashville. I walked through airports. I navigated streets on my own. And from these everyday spaces came real lessons about people, place, and presence.
Wherever your path takes you this week, may you let it teach you something beautiful.
Where have you learned something lately, outside the usual places?
