What an Overcrowded Airport Café Can Teach Us About Leadership, Processes, and Effective Communication

Last tuesday, I found myself at the airport—flights delayed (of course)—and the bar area was packed. There were about 20 people waiting in line for coffee and snacks, served by two women, one younger and one older. The next person in line was a middle-aged man, very much a “business manager” type. He approached the younger lady, skipped any greeting, and immediately started complaining about the wait times, how things weren’t ready, drinks were taking too long, and so on.

The complaint was absolutely valid. The café was struggling to keep up, and his frustration was understandable. But the way he communicated it, especially in the heat of the moment, backfired. You could see the stress on the young employee’s face; already stretched thin, she took the complaint as a personal attack, which made it even harder for her to handle the situation. The man continued, telling her she was responsible, that she represented the company and needed to fix the problem NOW - something she simply couldn't do with 19 more people waiting behind him.

Interestingly, the young lady's reaction - that she wasn’t responsible and wasn’t "the company" - tells us something important about the culture she works in. She clearly felt disconnected from the company, which highlights a larger issue: she lacked a sense of belonging. When employees don’t feel like they’re part of the company, or when they don’t take ownership of their roles, it often points to deeper organizational problems, either in leadership or corporate culture.

The complaint itself wasn’t the issue - it was about how and when it was communicated, and what it revealed about her workplace environment. The stress of the situation meant the employee wasn’t in a position to take the feedback constructively, and this highlights an important lesson for both leadership and customer service.

1. Empathy as a Leadership Tool

The man’s frustration was entirely reasonable. No one likes waiting, especially in a stressful environment like an airport. But how you deliver feedback - and when you deliver it - matters just as much as the feedback itself. The employee was already under pressure, and instead of calming the situation, the man escalated it. Leaders need to recognize when their teams—or customer-facing employees - are too overwhelmed to handle feedback and choose the right moment for constructive criticism.

Takeaway: Leaders need to show empathy and be mindful of timing when addressing problems. A calm, constructive approach delivered at the right time will yield better results and help maintain morale, especially in high-stress situations.

2. Different Approaches for Different Situations

While the man’s complaint was justified, the way he chose to deliver it in such a high-stress moment led to conflict instead of resolution. There are different ways to voice complaints or feedback depending on the situation and the expected outcome. For example, in a busy, overwhelming moment, taking a softer approach or even choosing to provide feedback later could have made the young employee more receptive and diffused the situation.

If the man had acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and approached the employee with understanding - perhaps asking when things might improve rather than demanding an immediate fix - the outcome could have been more productive.

Takeaway: Choose the right communication style for the situation. In high-stress environments, consider softer, more empathetic approaches to feedback. This can be more effective, especially if the desired outcome is problem-solving rather than escalating conflict.

3. Employees Are the Face of Your Company

To the customer, the young lady represented the company. But the problem wasn’t her fault - it was a process issue. In business, frontline employees are often the only point of contact for a customer, and they may not have the power to fix deeper systemic issues. When frustrations are directed at them, the situation can easily spiral into conflict, as we saw here.

But more importantly, the fact that the young employee didn’t see herself as "the company" is significant. If employees don’t feel connected to the organization or feel empowered to represent it, that often signals a lack of ownership, engagement, or proper leadership. A strong culture of belonging fosters a sense of accountability and representation, even in challenging situations. In this case, her detachment from the company speaks volumes about her experience working there, likely reflecting poor management or a lack of support.

Takeaway: Equip your team with the tools and training to handle customer concerns professionally, but also work to create a culture where employees feel a sense of ownership and belonging. When employees identify with their company, they’re more likely to feel responsible, even during difficult moments, and that benefits everyone - customers and the business.

4. Processes Need to Scale

The root cause of the issue was clear: the café wasn’t prepared for the volume of customers. Only two people were trying to serve a packed crowd, and delays were inevitable. In any business, whether it’s a café or a corporate project, when processes aren’t designed to scale, both employees and customers will feel the strain.

Takeaway: Always evaluate if your processes can scale. Whether it’s managing a large project or serving coffee at an airport, your systems should be able to handle pressure without falling apart.

5. Accountability vs. Responsibility

The man placed all the responsibility for the delay on the young employee, but the issue wasn’t hers to fix. Accountability in business needs to be clearly aligned with who can actually influence change. The employee didn’t have the power to speed things up - that’s a management or process issue. In business, we need to ensure that responsibility is properly allocated, so no one is unfairly blamed for things beyond their control.

Takeaway: Ensure your team knows who’s responsible for what. Don’t let frustrations over a process failure turn into personal attacks on individuals who don’t have the power to fix it.

6. Timing is Everything

While the man’s complaint was justified, the timing was wrong. In a high-stress situation like this, the employee wasn’t in the right mindset to accept feedback. When someone is overwhelmed, they’re less likely to process criticism constructively. Leaders and customers alike need to be mindful of when and how they deliver feedback.

Takeaway: Deliver feedback when the recipient is in the right frame of mind to accept it. During high-stress moments, complaints can lead to defensiveness or escalate tensions, rather than driving improvement.

My Final Thoughts

This interaction at an overcrowded airport café shows that how and when we communicate is just as important as what we communicate. While the man’s complaint was completely valid, his approach and timing worked against him and the employee.

Even more telling was the young employee’s reaction. Her detachment from the company in the face of a complaint shows the importance of cultivating a workplace where employees feel a strong sense of belonging and ownership. When employees are disengaged, it not only affects their morale but also impacts the customer experience.

In business, empathy, efficient processes, timing, and a strong culture of belonging are essential. Whether it’s dealing with customers or managing a team, how we handle pressure and communicate feedback plays a critical role in shaping the outcome. We've all been in situations where things didn’t go as planned. What matters is how we respond, when we provide feedback, and the way we deliver it.

#Leadership #ProcessImprovement #CustomerExperience #BusinessEfficiency #SenseOfBelonging #HP #Poly #AskUwe #FragUwe