Just One Connection Away: A Lesson from Montreal
November 12, 2024
Megan and I recently returned from Montreal, where we attended the International Association of Speakers Bureaus convention—her first, and my first in over a decade. It was more than just a conference. It felt like a homecoming with friends and colleagues I hadn’t seen in years. But one of the most memorable lessons of the trip actually came as we were leaving, thanks to a little adventure at the Duty Free store. It was a reminder of how powerful connection can be—even with complete strangers—and how it can make all the difference when you least expect it.
Attending the IASB convention for the first time in over ten years was a deeply meaningful experience, reconnecting with old friends and colleagues who’ve been part of my journey since I was just starting out in this field over 25 years ago.
It reminded me of how powerful our connections truly are, no matter how much time has passed. But the most surprising lesson in connection didn’t come from the conference itself—it came at the airport, when Megan realized she’d left her phone in the Uber! And, of course we didn’t discover this until we were already through security.
We were casually browsing through a duty free store when Megan reached for her phone and the realization she didn't have it hit with the force of, well... losing your phone an hour before you’re leaving the country.
Here’s where the 5 C’s came in handy.
I was impressed and proud of how calmly (that first C!) Megan accepted the reality of heading home without her phone. She does have a background working in hospital trauma bays, so I shouldn’t be surprised. With some time on our hands, though, I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
I called the Uber driver, only to find out he spoke exclusively French. I quickly realized my high school French didn’t get me very far beyond saying “My name is Shawn” or “Where is the library?” (Fun fact, we found it while at the event.)
But I still wasn’t giving up. My next thought was to ask the cashier if she spoke French so she could translate for us, but she was swamped with customers.
On the verge of hopelessness myself, I spotted a salesperson in the fragrance section. When I asked if she spoke French, not only was she willing to speak with the driver, but she offered to go outside the airport and get the phone for us when he said he would return in 30 minutes—since she had a fast pass through security.
It was like we’d struck gold!
There’s more to this story—which you’ll probably hear about if you bring me to your next event! 😉—but for sake of time and space here, I’ll just tell you that the phone finally made its way back to us just in time for us rush to our gate and board.
It took all 5 C’s—including staying calm, being clear on our outcome, having the courage to reach out and the confidence to stay the course—but the most important of all was CONNECTION.
Without the salesperson offering to help, her manager green-lighting the mission, one of her colleague's stepping in for an added assist, and the Uber driver himself, Megan’s phone would still be somewhere in Montreal... and unless it landed at the library, it would probably be gone forever.
You’re One Connection Away
So, I’d like to leave you with this thought: What breakthrough might you be just one connection away from? Who could you reach out to, even if it feels uncomfortable, to ask for support or insight on something you’re working toward?
Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to ask. We tend to worry about how others might respond, but most people are eager to help if they can. And when they do, it’s often the start of something meaningful—maybe even life-changing.
Today, I encourage you to take a step, make a call, or ask a question that brings you closer to where you want to be. You never know what might happen when you tap into the power of connection.
Up we go—