About a month ago, we took one of our annual family vacations. This time to Kauai. Here’s the story I posted on FB. I’ll recap some leadership learnings at the end…

So it was a dramatic adventure getting here (Kauai)!

The Van Nuys flyaway was very late and a lot more crowded than we expected. We (our family of 4) ended up getting to LAX only 20 min before our flight. Of course, we are told we won’t make it, but the attendant pointed us to get in line. After wasting another 7 minutes waiting, we get to the ticket agent and he tells us 3 of us may be able to make it, but we only have 5 minutes and have to rush through security. The reason one of us has to stay back, David (my hubby) finds out later, is we have 1 check-in luggage. If we had no check-in baggage, I know we could have all made the flight as the seat reserved for him sat empty.

While at the ticket counter, David and I go back and forth as to whom should go. We both surmise that it is better for only 1 of us to try and fly stand-by than for all 4 of us. Even if we have to buy a ticket instead, it’s cheaper and less stressful if we only have to purchase one instead of four.
I tell him that he should go because all the reservations (Condo and car rental) are in his name. But finally, and because we are short on time, I give in to going ahead with the kids.

Niko (16-year-old son), Carina (14-year-old daughter) and I rush up the escalators to get to the security line. Niko says, “Mom, we aren’t going to make it. Did you see that line?”

I reply, “Don’t say that. Let’s just go as fast as we can.” Carina is just rushing with us not saying anything. I tell Niko, as we are taking off our shoes and getting through the metal detectors, to rush ahead. “Tell them that we are coming and not to take off without us.”

I gave Niko our 3 boarding passes and tell him to run without putting his shoes on. He’s about 5 people in front of us because we all have to wait until our luggage starts to head down to conveyor before getting in line for the detectors, and people are getting in line ahead of us after their bags.

Now it’s a mad dash! Niko makes it through quickly and grabs his backpack and shoes and does his sprinter thing. I can see him dodging people as he runs towards our gage. Carina and I frantically grab the carryons and our backpacks. I am jogging after my kids holding my shoes and my backpack and the rolling carryon. My heart is beating like a drum and I so don’t want to be the single parent right now. I want my David…

As we approach the gate, the attendant tells me to relax, we made the flight. That’s such a hard thing to do when the blood is pounding in my ears and all I can think is this isn’t the way we planned this trip to go.

We board and find our seats near the back. I then allow myself to cry a little. Carina tells me, “Its ok mommy. We made it.” Both my kids can see I am shaken up, unsure, and a bit terrified and are stepping up and trying to keep me calm and resourceful. I know this and yet, I say, “I know, but I’m sad about Daddy. And everything (car rental, condo rental) is in his name.”

The flight is uneventful and we make it to Kauai by 8:30 pm. David has booked another flight for Saturday and will be landing before noon.

But in the meantime, I have to get the rental car, feed my kids, and find the condo. The car rental was a whole other story because, yes, it was in David’s name and even though he called to get approval for me to take the car, it isn’t exactly protocol. So that takes some back and forth, but when we do get the car it’s a beauty! The kids are excited, especially Niko who wants a mustang himself.

Finally… we are on our way. We hit Micky D’s for nuggets, fries and soda. Late night snack of champions.

Google maps tell us the condo is only 9 minutes away. Thank goodness. We get here and it looks nice, even in the dark. But there isn’t a check-in desk or reception.

Yikes! I call David, waking him when he’s trying to get a little sleep before catching an early flight. It’s 9:50 pm Kauai time, but it’s almost 1 am in LA. Niko says for after-hours check-in you have to call a number in advance. Double yikes. We aren’t sure yet if we may end up sleeping in the cool car.

David calls the number and tells us to call security. I do, but there’s no answer. Niko says, “Why don’t we just talk to security, there’s someone right there.” Gosh, he’s growing up so fast and becoming so resourceful. I get out of the car and sure enough, the security guard has our keys and tells us where to go.

David stays on the phone to make sure we get in alright. Niko then plays the protector and checks all the rooms, under the beds and closets, before sitting down to eat his nuggets.

This isn’t the most conventional way to start a vacation, but we won’t let it ruin anything. While we wait for David’s flight, we’ll do grocery shopping to stack the friend pantry. that’s what we were planning to do if David was here. This way, he gets to avoid Costco and I get to make sure we have everything perfect for when he finally arrives.

We’re on Hawaii time now! Aloha!

Leadership Lessons

Teamwork

It’s imperative in life and in business that we have a strong team to support us. Without a strong team, during a crisis, things will fall apart. Knowing that you have people you can trust, is key to facing the chaos, unknown challenges, and roadblocks that are bound to occur.

Letting Go

Sometimes, even as a leader, you have to stop trying to drive the outcome. Sometimes you have to rely on players you aren’t sure have enough experience, skill, or wisdom to step up. Both my kids, but especially my son, stepped up to do some things I wouldn’t have expected him to do prior. He was the one who researched how to get into the condo complex and found the guard. He was the one who took the lead to rush ahead to speak to the gate attendant and ensure we could get on. My daughter had enough emotional intelligence to know when to calm me down and remind me we made it and that we would be ok. She reminded me that we could do this. Both showed me that sometimes being the adult means letting your kids grow up. This is true in work as well. We have to be willing to listen to our subordinates and our peers. We can’t always expect to have the right answers or even be emotionally aware. Sometimes in a crisis, it’s not just ok to let go, but it’s imperative that we do so as we may not have the right answers.

Celebrate

After the crisis is over, we need to learn to relax and celebrate the win. In our case, we didn’t want this one dramatic event to ruin our long-awaited vacation. Once all the minor challenges were handled, we regrouped as a family (team) and relaxed into the moment. Yes, another crisis may occur shortly, but don’t forget to celebrate the progress you’ve already made.

Life can be the best teacher for all of us. Living life, even on vacation, and be open to any lessons that may arise… well that’s the sign of true leadership in my book.

What lessons have you learned while on vacation or traveling? What tips would you share?

To your spirit infused life!