Nineteen hours is a long time to be on a non-stop flight – there are only so many meals you can eat, movies you can watch, or naps you can take. I normally take the emergency exit aisle seat so that I can get up and walk about as often as I wanted. Someone had told me that “sitting was the new smoking” and I hung about at the back of the plane for hours.
I got out at Newark a little dazed and waited in the interminable immigration lines. Finally, after 30 minutes, I get to the counter and smiled at the immigration officer. As if on cue, she asked “What is the purpose of your visit?” “Business” I said. They were now used to getting beyond these superficial responses, so her next question was “What specifically do you do?” I said “Well, I am an executive coach. I help leaders become their best.”
I was taken aback by her next question “So, how can I be my best?” I smiled and looked into her eyes. It is amazing how much your intuition picks up, as you look into other people’s eyes. I asked her, “If time and money were not a constraint, who could you be?” She always had a dream of working at the White House, but here she was. I consciously decided to twirl up the dial of tension “What kinds of excuses are you telling yourself for not getting there?” After thinking for about 30 seconds, she smiled and asked, “Can I write down that question? I want my husband to answer that as well.” I said “Sure, let me give you one more question then. How is your Urgent preventing your Important?” She wrote that down as well.
We smiled at each other, she stamped my passport, and I started to move towards the luggage carousels. Just before the escalators went down, I turned, and saw that she was standing at her counter and watching me go. We waved to each other, and I was on my way. I knew that my chances of meeting her again was slim, but the sheer joy of making another person realise a bit more of themselves was rewarding.
On reflection, I wonder what would it take for each one of us, to make others greater without any expectations? How can mere minutes with you become memorable moments of insights for others? How can you help others break out of their own boxes?
