Picture this. It's early morning and I'm making my way through the airport to catch a flight. The weather is -26 C and that's without the wind chill. I go through security and everything moves along smoothly. As I settle into a seat to wait for boarding, I dig into my purse to check my cell phone. I wouldn't want to miss anything important. I'm sure you know the feeling.

I happen to look out the window for a minute.

The sun is rising bright and clear. We have a truly beautiful northern morning in spite of the cold. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a movement on the blustery tarmac, drawing my attention to a bundled-up lone figure. It looks like he's dancing, but I can't be sure without getting out of my seat for a closer look. Yes, there goes a leg and an arm and a hip wiggle. I'm really seeing this.

Like a child at play, I start to giggle right there in the airport during the hushed early morning hours. People notice. I've piqued their interest.

Soon I'm not alone at the window watching the moves of the young man. He's getting ready to help back-up the plane into position for take-off. In between signals, instead of standing in the bitter cold like a statue, he breaks into dance. No doubt he does this at least in part to stay warm, but the warmth spreads far beyond himself. The energy in his moves exudes happiness and fun. None of us are too old to be playful. A job doesn't have to absolutely be serious every minute.

He waves to the pilots, lifts his batons, and the plane slowly backs up. He moves along with it, stepping forward. But before all of that happens, for a minute there is a connection between human beings that goes beyond the task at hand. The pilots smile and wave their arms wide to make sure he sees how much they liked his dance. It captures so much that simple gesture. It's a thank you and it's a fond farewell between good friends.

See you soon, they seem to say.

Once the plane has reached its starting position, it stops and begins to go forward. Soon it will lift off the ground. The dancer watches unaware that his generous spirit has helped not only the pilots, but a room full of passengers at the window in the waiting room on a cold February morning.

The feeling in the waiting room has been transformed. We return to our seats, lighter for having witnessed a moment of human connection and the generous spirit of a servant leader. These moments can change the world. We all feel the potential and that is why we're smiling. The dance makes us hopeful.

I thought about the dancer for many hours.Why was he so happy and full of energy working outside in the bitter cold? Did he get a raise that morning? Was he promoted? I will never be able to say for certain, but I don't think so.

Considering the impact he had, I'd rather believe that he danced for others, that he recognized people were tired of the cold, that maybe they felt stressed and anxious because of that, and he just wanted to make a difference in their day. That is what a servant leader does.

The results are powerful.

He was definitely following the rules and regulations of his duties, but he was also enjoying his work. That young man led himself, but more than that he was a servant to others. He used his spirit and the movements of his body to lift up others. That is how it works. When you help others get what they want, they help you get what you want too.

As John Maxwell says, "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care." The man on the tarmac didn't care what position he held or what his environment was like. None of that held him back. He followed his instincts and acted out of concern for the people around him. By doing something extra, he had an impact on everyone's day.

I got onto the plane and began writing this blog. It has helped keep the image strong. I can still see him bundled against the cold, so layered up I don't know how he was able to move. But move, he did. And I remember also the people who were watching and the energy that transformed that moment for all of us. People let go of their cell phones. The joy he stirred was certain to spread as everyone who'd seen his dance went on with their day. They will tell others.

Like Martin Luther King, Jr. said,  “Not everybody can be famous. But everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato or Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love."

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you continue with your day:

1.     Are you a servant leader?

2.     Can you add value to someone today?

3.     When was the last time you showed your employees that you care?

4.     When was the last time you brought a smile or laughter to the workplace?

It starts with you. You've got this!
Your friends,
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