LEADERSHIP SOMETIMES MEANS JUST STANDING THERE

Kketan Amarnath Waghmare
Mar 14
2 min read

Something years in hospitality and cruise operations have taught me.

Not every leadership moment comes with a manual.

Some situations just arrive…and you respond with instinct.

I remember one sailing from New York.

Manhattan homeport. Bermuda itinerary.

Weather had suddenly turned rough and forecasts said it could get worse. Sailing was delayed by 24 hours and the Bermuda run itself was uncertain. It could easily have turned into Canada or New England instead.

Guests were upset. Some very upset.

Guest Services was packed with angry guests demanding answers. Some insisting the ship must sail to Bermuda.

All leaders were asked to step in and talk to guests. At the very least, make sure they felt heard.

One couple stayed with me.

They were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary onboard. The trip was meant to recreate memories from their younger days on the beaches of Bermuda.

The wife was calm.

The husband… almost shaking with anger.

He kept repeating that the ship must go to Bermuda.

There was no script for that conversation.

Truth is, even company leadership had no clarity yet. Nobody could promise anything.

So I did the only thing that felt right in that moment.

I listened.

No explanations.

No corporate language.

Just listening.

The next day I saw them again.

They came up, smiled and thanked me.

Nothing had changed yet about the itinerary.

But they felt heard. And somehow that was enough.

Another moment I often think about happened during a training session onboard.

A senior room attendant from Housekeeping was sitting in the room.

Earlier that morning his supervisor had informed me that he had just lost his wife back home after a long battle with cancer. He was leaving the vessel the next day.

I walked up to him and said, “You really don’t have to attend this session.”

He replied quietly, “This helps. Sitting here keeps my mind off things. I don’t want to sit alone.”

Honestly… I didn’t know what the right thing to do was.

There’s no guideline for moments like that.

So I simply followed his lead. Involved him when he wanted to participate.

After the session he walked up to me, hugged me and said,

“Thank you… for letting me stay with everyone.”

I remember standing there for a moment after that.

Just thinking.

No framework.

No leadership model.

Nothing documented anywhere.