The night before work, I have a habit of looking at my calendar to mentally prepare for the day ahead. I noticed that a regularly scheduled meeting had been removed. I looked again… and then texted my team to confirm it was correct.

That canceled meeting felt like an open door, an unexpected invitation to be exactly where I was meant to be.

I believe in canceled meetings AND serendipitous moments, in letting what first feels like an inconvenience become an opportunity. Instead of staying behind my desk, I saw the open space as a chance to reframe my day: to get into buildings, connect with people, and turn a few unanswered emails into face-to-face conversations. As I shared in a recent post, Beyond the Inbox, some questions are better answered in person than by email. Then, as I began rearranging my day, I sent a few texts to teachers to see where I might join in.

“What are your thoughts about me coming into your class to do a read-aloud?”

Within minutes, my morning filled up. It felt like the universe rearranged my schedule for something that was meant to be.

So, I made a quick stop at my office, grabbed a few picture books, jumped in my car, and off I went…Ready to read, model, and connect. Because as leaders, we must be willing to roll up our sleeves and stay close to the work that matters most: teaching and learning.

When I entered the building, I greeted the principal and shared my plan. She was excited to join. Then, walking the hallway, I serendipitously ran into a teacher who had retired, someone I’d once worked with as her assistant principal. Seeing her brought a rush of memories. I told her how grateful I was that she was still connected to our classrooms by being a substitute teacher in our primary buildings.

Then came another serendipitous moment, one I’ll never forget.

She said, “Lauren, I’m so glad you’re here. Since you’ve come to our district, you’ve brought light. You’ve built relationships. You care deeply about people and have made positive shifts in instruction.”

I could feel the emotion welling up. In leadership, we don’t always get the chance to pause and hear how our presence has mattered. I’ll tell you what happened, right then and there, that moment made me cry, standing beside her in the hallway. And it wouldn’t have happened without that cancelled meeting.

After collecting myself, I entered a classroom and performed the read-aloud. Together, we frontloaded vocabulary, built background knowledge, isolated and blended sounds in words, and even played a round of Simon Says afterward for a movement break. I left feeling more grounded in the why behind the work, reminded that every visit, every exchange, and every story matters.

That morning also reminded me of what Jim Collins calls the “Genius of the AND.” He explores it in his book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. I learned about this concept from Brené Brown’s new book Stronger Ground. She explains Collins’ ideas that visionary leaders don’t choose between two seemingly opposing forces, they embrace both. In other words, we can be intentional and open to the unexpected. We can plan and welcome spontaneity. We can lead and learn. It’s in that balance, we often find meaning, connection, and growth.

In my book The Leader Inside, I wrote, “It’s the small things that have illuminated my love for education and the constant pursuit to be better for the people I serve.”

That day reminded me just how true that is. Sometimes the most meaningful moments aren’t found in perfectly planned meetings, but in canceled meetings and serendipitous moments, the ones that remind us why we lead, who we serve, and how much light can come from simply showing up.

3 Actionable Ideas For Leaders to Implement Tomorrow

Leadership can be filled with canceled meetings and serendipitous moments but we can create the conditions for both. Here are three small ways to start tomorrow:

Walk the halls with intention.

Leave your office once a day, not to check on things, but to connect: to listen, notice, and be present.
Say yes to spontaneity.

When a moment opens up, resist the urge to fill it with email or tasks. Step into a classroom or conversation instead, you never know what gift you’ll receive.
Celebrate the small things.

End each day by naming one moment of light: a comment, connection, or smile that reminds you why you lead.

The genius of leadership lives in the AND structure and flexibility, reflection and action, planning and presence.