I once learned a valuable leadership lesson from something as simple as a paper sign taped haphazardly to a windshield with mismatched duct tape.
In 2005, I joined Coach America in Orlando, Florida, after nearly 15 years at Walt Disney World. Like most leaders starting a new role, I hit the ground running—drinking from a firehose, addressing urgent issues, and trying to drive improvements as quickly as possible.
One early complaint I received was that our buses didn’t display signage for a major convention client, unlike a competitor's, which featured clear, easy-to-read window signs. I shared the feedback with our team and instructed them to place signs in the windows whenever we served that client. Eventually, we made it standard for all charter trips.
At the time, electronic marquees were rare, and paper signs were commonly used, especially for conventions and charters. Sometimes, the client provided the wording; in this case, the client informed our sales team of the desired wording,…
