I once rushed through an airport in Antigua looking for a missing team member.
No call. No warning.
Just an unlocked door, a work laptop left on the desk, and a note.
We were a team of three, preparing for the MV Logos Hope (a charity ship that travels the world sharing knowledge, help and hope) to arrive in port.
Two to three weeks to go. Events to host. Tickets to get into shops. Permissions to finalise. A lot still to do.
And suddenly, we were two.
We found out later that his fiancée had ended things. He’d jumped on a plane to go and see her.
My first thought wasn’t about the work.
It was “is he okay?”
But once I knew he was safe, something else sat with me quietly.
I wished I had created an environment where he felt he could tell me what was happening.
I doubt I would have allowed him to leave.
But maybe I could have helped. Maybe he wouldn’t have had to sneak out. Maybe the goodbye wouldn’t have been an unlocked door and a note.
The ship still arrived. People came on board. The events still happened.
We picked up the slack. Our line manager flew out to support us. We got it done.
But I never forgot that door.
It taught me something I carry with me now, running Greenwood Online:
If you want grace extended to you, you have to extend it first.
Life happens. Meetings get missed. People have lives as complex and as messy as your own.
If I ever build a team, I want them to take time to enjoy the sunshine.
As long as the work gets done, live your life.
