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"A leader believes in what people are like at their best."

Many of you will recognize this line from the opening chapter of The Leader’s Code. While I do believe this, it is becoming increasingly challenging in the world of today. While we know human beings are capable of great good, we are constantly reminded of countless examples of bad behavior by the media and by our own firsthand experience.

Recently I was a passenger on a flight from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. I was fortunate inasmuch as my frequent flier status had earned me a first class seat, but the flight had been delayed more than an hour. Most of the passengers, while polite, were obviously stressed, tired and anxious to reach their destination. It was getting late in the evening and patience was in short supply. 

One passenger chose to defy the rules of the game and barged to the head of the boarding line. He was told by the gate attendant he couldn’t take his rolling bag on to the plane; it would have to be "pink tagged" and left plane-side for pick up in the jet way at the destination city. He refused to take the claim tag offered to him. I was not far behind him in the boarding line and sure enough, when he approached the door of the plane, the flight attendant informed him he could not take the bag on to the plane due to storage limitation. The plane was one of the small regional jets and the overhead space simply will not accommodate rolling bags. The passenger became irate; insisting he was boarding the plane and the bag was going with him. The pilot was called to convince him otherwise. During the entire incident, other passengers were calling out to him to check the bag so boarding could continue and the plane could depart. He ignored the pleas. He finally slung the bag aside and boarded the plane.

I settled into my seat in the first class cabin and assumed the incident was over, but as passengers continued to board, the problem passenger charged back down the aisle mowing through incoming passengers like a fullback through an unsuspecting defensive line. Never once did he say "excuse me" or in any way acknowledge the chaos he was creating. When he reached the front of the plane, the flight attendant explained if he deplaned he would not be allowed to re-board. He forced his way past her and exited the plane ostensibly to collect his previously abandoned bag and check it as should have been done from the onset. When he returned and was not allowed re-boarding, poor human behavior of extreme proportions ensued.

In the middle of the commotion, a very different scene unfolded. The line of passengers waiting to be seated was stalled during the drama created by the poorly behaving passenger. One of the passengers was a soldier in uniform. As he stood patiently in the aisle waiting to find his seat, one of my fellow first class passengers struck up a conversation with him asking where he was h eaded, how long he had been serving, where was his home town, etc. As the delay continued, she asked the solder where he was sitting. "Somewhere in the back of the plane," was the reply. "No, you’re not," she said as she rose to her feet. "You’re going to take my seat." He protested saying he couldn’t possibly take her seat, but she said, "Yes, you can because I insist. It’s the very least I can do to thank you for your service to our country."

The very least I can do to thank you. Powerful words. The debt is large and the deed small, yet the mere gesture of thanks bridged an immeasurable gap between those who serve and those of us who benefit from their service.

In the span of fifteen minutes, I had witnessed the very worst and the very best of human behavior. While I admit I am still chagrined at not being the one to offer my seat, I am grateful for the lesson and for the reminder it provided. If we are to witness what people are like at their best, we must first be the example for others to see. How many times in the last week alone have I been less than the person I might have been? How many times did I fail to thank someone who served me? Probably just like you, I don’t think of myself as a bad person. However, if I am honest with myself, I must acknowledge I’ve missed opportunities to put my best self forward in the recent past. Opportunities missed due to stress, schedule demands, self-absorption or any number of causes. Opportunities missed, yet magically brought to life by the smile on the soldier’s face as he took his new seat.

If we truly believe in what people are like at their best, it’s not enough to decry the bad behavior of others. We must find our better selves and be the magic we want to see. "A leader has faith in the magic of the human heart." Couldn’t we all use just a little more magic?

For more information about Ken Chapman and Associates’ Leadership Development Programs, contact Ken Chapman at 205.366.0265 or kchapman@leaderscode.com.

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