Starting Right: A Leadership Lesson at Gate A7

I recently travelled from JFK to Dubai at the tail end of the US government shutdown.

Flights were being cancelled everywhere. Airports were tense. Travellers wary. JFK was heaving.

And then, in the middle of all that noise, something remarkable happened.

The Emirates flight crew arrived.

Twenty-two people walked with quiet purpose through the crowd and formed a tight circle at our gate. Impeccably turned out, eight nationalities standing shoulder-to-shoulder, they began their pre-flight team meeting.

No back room. No closed door. Right there, in full view.

From the first moment, they looked like a team. They acted like a team. And they radiated confidence, competence and poise. The leader set the tone immediately – smiling, asking for input, receiving it freely.

No awkwardness. No self-consciousness. Just focus, presence and clarity.

Towards the end, they broke into smaller huddles. Each one was animated and energised. It was true teaming in action.

And here’s the astonishing part: this team had never flown together before.
A “flash team” – formed for this flight only – coming together with clarity, courtesy and shared purpose.

After twenty minutes, they dispersed quietly to prepare the aircraft.

I asked the team leader why they met so publicly.
“Before a big flight,” he said, “everyone must have the information. Everyone must be ready to play their part.”

Simple. Obvious. Powerful.

The biggest impact of that meeting wasn’t on them. It was on me.

My confidence soared. I felt calmer, more expectant, more curious. Instead of bracing myself for a long 14-hour flight, I found myself genuinely interested in what would happen next.

It was a masterclass in starting right.
And it changed the whole experience.

Is this not the purpose of leadership?
Is this not the purpose of meetings?

To build confidence, clarity, connection and trust?

If your meetings were your product, would people buy them?
And if your leadership was a product, would people choose it?

Whether I was preconditioned or not, the flight was outstanding. From seats 87C and D we experienced some of the best service we’ve ever had – attentive, interested and interesting. They started right…and they delivered flawlessly.

It left me with a simple truth we teach at LeadershipWorks: great teams don’t happen by accident; they happen by design, by ritual and by leadership.

Three Takeaways for Leaders & Meetings

1

Start Right

The first moments matter disproportionately. A purposeful huddle, a clear agenda, a warm welcome – these shape how people feel, think and contribute.
2

Clarity Creates Confidence

Information, roles and expectations calm people, focus them and elevate performance. People do better work when they know what’s coming and what’s expected.
3

Meetings Are Leadership on Display

Every meeting signals something – your standards, culture and respect for people’s time. Make yours worth “buying.” Make them experiences that build trust, cohesion and confidence.