Turn your delays into an interesting and positive experience! Bonding, uncertainty and external control

Turn your delays into an interesting and positive experience!
Bonding, uncertainty and external control

Despite the fact that this situation is an economic nightmare and chaos for millions of people and organizations it was a positive and extremely interesting experience.
Read below my observations on organic groups, Uncertainty and External Control

The situation
On April 17th, I arrived at 10:00 hrs in Madrid after a 12 hours Iberia flight from Bogotá, where I delivered a number of trainings. My connecting flight to Amsterdam was cancelled. After standing five hours in line to get on a bus to Brussels, 17 hours on the bus and 5 hours on a train, I finally arrived at 17.00 hrs on the 18th of April in Amsterdam.

The situation at the airport was pretty chaotic in spite of the wonderful job IBERIA tried to do. There was little information on just about anything. The information which was available on flights and airport, on if and when busses would arrive at the airport to pick up passengers, on destinations of the busses, on lists of passengers for each bus etc etc.

What was positive about this experience and what did I observe:
- How an organic group of 15-20 people is formed while standing in line, mostly based on destination. Existing of 6 or more nationalities/languages.
- How uncertainty bonds people very quickly. The unity and power of the Group deals with the External control of the situation.
- How one can take the situation as an opportunity to meet great people from all over the world and having time to talk to them.
- How a natural leader stands up and takes charge of the group. Everyone follows his leadership. No power struggle between other possible leaders.
- How members of the group work to keep a good and positive spirit for every individual in the group. Group members rebuked impatient and angry passengers towards the very kind Iberia personnel. Complaining group members were taken apart and asked not to burden others with their problems.
- How each and everyone uses his qualities to be of service to the group. How the group accepts roles without questioning.
Such as providing food supplies, this was not done by the airlines, guarding each other’s luggage, obtaining information, entertaining and taking care of the children in the group, translations for every one etc. etc.
- Understood my own organic role in a group. Getting the relevant information from various sources at the airport and provide the group with a comprehensive message on the situation. (Due to my studies in Aviation Economy and 15 years of airline experience as well as the many languages I happen to speak).
- How the group kept his living area clean at the airport and in the bus.
- The group took care of each other throughout the 17 hours bus ride.

It was a tremendous experience and I am extremely grateful to be home safely…and with my luggage.

With thanks to Iberia, the two drivers of the bus and all the passengers in that bus from Madrid to Brussels.

Eleonore Breukel – Intercultural Communication bv Amsterdam