A reflection on leadership, trust, and the people who make every journey worth taking.

Just over a week ago, we boarded a plane for a family vacation. The trip was a Christmas gift for my daughters and their families, and after months of anticipation, it was finally time to go. As I settled into my seat and looked around the cabin, I noticed something interesting. Scattered throughout that plane were the people I love most in this world, yet I had no idea who was sitting in the cockpit. I never asked the pilot’s name. I didn’t review his credentials. I didn’t stop at the gate to verify his experience. In fact, I never even saw him before we took off. Still, I willingly boarded that aircraft and entrusted the people I cherished most to someone I had never met.

Somewhere during that flight, I found myself wondering why. Why was I so comfortable placing that much trust in a stranger? At first, I thought it was because I wanted the trip badly enough to let go of control. There may be some truth in that. The destination was important to me. The memories I knew we would make together mattered more than my desire to be in charge or the fear I may have secretly carried. 

The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized my trust wasn’t blind at all. I trusted the pilot because there were signs that he was capable long before I ever boarded the plane. The airline had a reputation to uphold. The aircraft had been inspected and maintained. The crew moved with confidence and professionalism. Thousands of successful flights had happened before mine. Without realizing it, I had seen enough evidence to believe that the person in the cockpit could safely guide us to where we needed to go.

Leadership often works the same way.

The people we lead rarely get a seat in the cockpit. They don’t know what led up to every decision we make. They aren’t present for every difficult conversation. They don’t know the countless hours spent behind the scenes planning, adjusting, worrying, and preparing.

What they do see is how we show up every day. They notice whether our actions match our words, how we respond when things don’t go according to plan, and whether we remain steady in the face of challenges. Over time, those moments become evidence, and that is what builds trust. It’s similar to how airlines build public trust. 

As leaders, it’s important to realize people don’t trust simply because we hold a title. We can’t assume people will follow because our position says they should. Trust is rarely granted based on a title alone. It is earned through consistency, competence, and care. The best leaders understand that people are constantly deciding whether they believe in the journey and the person guiding it. That trust becomes most important when turbulence arrives.

So late-Lee, I’ve been thinking about all of this. During a smooth flight, nobody thinks much about the pilot. When the plane begins to shake, however, everyone suddenly becomes aware that someone is responsible for navigating the situation. The same is true in leadership. Difficult seasons reveal whether trust has truly been established. Teams that trust their leaders don’t panic at every challenge because they believe the person at the controls is capable of guiding them through uncertainty. As I looked around that cabin and saw my youngest granddaughter waving at me and the other two enjoying a movie and the pure thrill of flying for their first time, I realized I had entrusted my family to someone I would likely never meet. I didn’t do so because I had control or knew every detail, and not because there was a guarantee that the journey would be perfectly smooth. I trusted because I believed there was a capable leader in the cockpit. That realization left me with a question I have continued to think about since returning home. If leadership requires others to place their trust in us, what evidence are we giving them each day that they are in good hands? After all, the people who choose to follow us may never see the cockpit. They may never fully understand the weight of the decisions we carry. What they will decide is whether they trust the person guiding the journey. And perhaps that is one of the greatest responsibilities of leadership: living in a way that earns that trust long before the turbulence begins.

Reflection Questions

1. What evidence are you providing each day that helps others trust your leadership?

2. When challenges arise, does your team see confidence, consistency, and care from the person in the cockpit?