The Unexpected
It was our last day in Antigua, Guatemala. Our bus would be leaving the hotel at noon, and we wouldn’t be stopping for lunch. So, a group of us gathered at the hotel restaurant for one final visit to the breakfast buffet.
It was 11 a.m., and we were hungry. Waffles, breakfast potatoes, yogurt, and freshly squeezed orange juice were on display. In the middle of the familiar options was one of my Central American favorites—fried sweet plantains! I proceeded to fill two plates with a little bit of everything.
As I sat down at our table, I took a bite of watermelon, and I immediately knew something wasn’t right. It didn’t taste like watermelon. Not at all. I couldn’t quite figure it out. Looking around the table, I noticed some people had watermelon cut into thin slices, while mine was in squares. I asked, “Does the watermelon taste strange to anyone else?”
My question was met with a collective “no,” and I started to second-guess myself.
But then someone asked, “Are you sure you didn’t get papaya?”
I know I made a face as I processed that question. Curious, I got up and walked over to the table with all the fresh fruit. And sure enough, right next to the bowl of “watermelon squares” was a sign that read: papaya.
I shook my head and laughed out loud. In that moment, I was reminded that we often assume something is wrong simply because it was unexpected. I tried to make sense of the unexpected taste by labeling it as strange, instead of considering that it was… not watermelon.
This lesson hits home in leadership, too. We live in a world where the unexpected is the only constant. As leaders, we’re often called to guide others through those moments. The best leaders are the ones who see the unexpected not as a threat, but as an invitation. We have to resist the urge to label unexpected moments as “bad.” Using negative labels pulls us into a limited mindset. When we let go of those labels, we create space for new possibilities.
Some leaders fear the unexpected. As a result, they lean into control and micromanage everything and everyone in an attempt to prevent the unexpected. But you can’t control everything—and if you try, you’ll miss what’s waiting to unfold naturally. When this happens, leaders actually prevent their teams from surprising them with fresh ideas.
Leaders must remember that the unexpected doesn’t equal wrong.
When leaders embrace the unexpected, they open the door for innovation, creativity, and possibility. They make room for flexibility and adaptability. They create space for their people to think, to experiment, and to fail—and those are the moments when the magic happens.
Life is full of unexpected moments. I’ve learned to embrace those moments, because some of my greatest successes came from the unexpected. I didn’t expect that education would become one of my biggest clients. I didn’t expect my free YouTube videos would open doors for me in public speaking. I didn’t expect a global pandemic would force me to master the art of facilitating on Zoom. And yet, all of it became exactly what I needed.
In moments like these, I try to say to myself, “This was unexpected, let’s see what is possible.” That mindset has allowed me to navigate the unexpected in healthy ways.
When we stop judging the unexpected, we unlock a world of new possibilities.
And for the record, I ate the watermelon and the papaya. Both were delightful. That’s what happens when you make room for the unexpected.