This post was going to be about my exciting cover for Change with Confidence. That was until I met my new best friend Meghan. I first saw her dancing in front of the Air Canada ticket counter at Newark airport. I have tried many tactics to get home after my flight has been cancelled, but have never tried dancing. I thought: flights cancelled, people on standby, she is a better dancer than I am, prognosis “difficult”.
I learned I was number nine on a standby list for a plane that had eight open seats. I decided to wait and test my luck because you never now when you will catch a break. Meghan had overheard me speaking with the attendant and exclaimed, “You are on standby too, then you are my new best friend. Hi I am Meghan.” We shook hands, she said, “Good-bye my new best friend,” and she bolted off to security.
I didn’t see Meghan at the gate because she also was on standby for an earlier flight to Montreal. I watched as each standby traveller was called to receive his or her ticket. It wasn’t looking good. As the plane was boarding, the attendant picked up the microphone on last time and called my nane and Meghan’s name.
Out of nowhere, Meghan bounded over to pick up her ticket. I said, “Hey my new best friend, we got on.” We hugged and shared our delight at being the lucky chosen ones. The guy behind us said that he too had been on standby but didn’t get a new best friend out of it. We became a group of three.
It turns out the Meghan and I had seats together at the back of the plane. What luck. I found out that she is completing her PhD in Anthropology, has published many articles in archaeological science journals, is interviewing for exciting jobs, and is being interviewed next week by a major newspaper. Life is good for Meghan.
We talked about two organizations she is affiliated with that are going through a big change. It was exciting to hear the details and to reconfirm that the behaviours around change are universal. I switched into consultant mode as I listened to scenarios I have lived many times before. Change becomes difficult when it isn’t managed. They were in the “Figuring it Out” phase and we discussed a couple of questions from my book.
We agreed to swap a few of her articles for a copy of Change with Confidence and said good-bye at customs.
Meeting intriguing people is a highlight of life. They brighten your day, broaden your perspectives, and can make impressions that you will never forget. And sometimes, if you are lucky, they become your new best friends.
Phil
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