I was on the Atlanta Plane Train, packed, shoulder to shoulder, during prime time travel hours—It was the kind of moment when everyone silently debates whether one should’ve walked…but didn’t. If you know ATL, you know that the train saves time. So you get on and deal with it. I should have walked to get my steps in.
“Welcome aboard the Plane Train. Please hold on. This train is departing. The next stop is Concourse A. A as in Atlanta.” I had my bags tucked and my feet planted. Most of us inside were seasoned travelers. Others had one hand casually gripping a pole, as muscle memory had already taken over. We knew what was coming, even if we weren’t consciously thinking about it.
Then, at the last second, a family with young children jumped onboard. The doors closed. The train lurched forward. I happened to glance up as the kids went flying! They weren’t hurt. They weren’t scared. They were laughing—full joy and surprise—tumbling into the moment like it was part of the ride. And everyone else? We barely moved.
Same movement. Different readiness.
The train did exactly what it was designed to do. It accelerated fast and stopped hard. The sudden movement required our bodies to adjust—or lose balance. The difference wasn’t the movement. It was the readiness. Those children were new to the experience. They hadn’t yet learned to widen their stance, lean into the momentum, or brace without panic. The adults had. Experience hadn’t removed the jolt—it had trained our bodies to anticipate it. We didn’t stiffen. We didn’t scramble. We adjusted.
And that’s where the leadership lesson lives.
The Emotional Life of Leaders
Emotions are the movement of leadership.
Change arrives without warning. Pressure increases suddenly. Conversations stop short. Resistance shows up late and loud. The work accelerates, then slams on the brakes. Some leaders get thrown off balance every time that happens. Others stay grounded—not because the moment is easier, but because they’ve built up the capacity to remain steady inside it.
Emotionally immature leadership is being surprised by every jolt. Emotionally mature leadership still feels the movement but knows how to respond without losing its footing. The goal isn’t emotional numbness. It’s emotional readiness.
Character Revealed in Motion
Character doesn’t reveal itself when things are calm. It shows up when momentum shifts and no one gives you a warning:
- Do you tighten up when pressure hits?
- Do you blame someone when the stop feels abrupt?
- Do you freeze, overreact, or pretend you’re fine while silently losing balance?
- Or do you plant your feet, stay aware of the people around you, and adjust without making a spectacle of yourself?
Character is how you carry yourself when leadership lurches.
Reflection: Questions to Sit With
That moment on the Plane Train stayed with me because it exposed something deeper than travel behavior. It raised questions about readiness—not competence. About inner posture—not outer performance.
If you’re willing, take a moment to reflect—or journal—on these questions:
- Where in your leadership does the movement catch you off guard?
- What situations tend to knock you off balance emotionally—sudden change, pushback, urgency, silence?
- If leadership “lurched” tomorrow, would your inner stance help you stay upright?
Call to Action: Train for the Movement
Leadership will accelerate without warning. It will stop hard. It will test your balance in both public and private settings. So don’t wait for the jolt to figure out how to stand.
Commit to the inner work that builds emotional readiness. Practice noticing your reactions before correcting others. Reflect regularly on what unsettles you—and why. Strengthen your ability to stay present when momentum shifts because seasoned leaders aren’t calm by accident; they’ve trained for the movement. They’ve also learned how to lean in, brace without fear, and stay aware of the people around them.
That’s not technique.
That’s character.
That’s the soul of leadership.
