When the Engine Catches Fire: What Business Strategy Can Learn from a Delayed Train

After a productive week in NYC—full of strategy meetings, clarity conversations, and that unmistakable spark the city gives me—I boarded a train with my husband, ready to head to Maryland to see family.

The ride was supposed to be seamless.

Perfect, even.

We had it all planned out:

Good seats.

Time to decompress.

Space to shift from momentum to restoration.

And then… the engine caught fire.

Not metaphorically—literally.

Plans Are Perfect—Until They’re Not

Suddenly, we were delayed for hours, rerouted to a backup train with half the comfort and double the frustration. Our timeline was off. The rhythm was gone. The vibe? Crushed.

We did everything “right.”

And still—chaos.

Sound familiar?

Because this is business strategy in a nutshell.

You can map out the perfect plan.

Build the perfect team.

Launch with the perfect timeline.

And then—an algorithm changes, a tech outage hits, or a client pivots.

Something out of your control derails your progress.

The question becomes:

Do you panic?

Do you blame?

Or do you adapt?

Resilience Isn’t Optional—It’s Strategic

Most of us were never taught how to navigate disruption with grace.

We spiral. We overcorrect.

We blame ourselves or others—or just throw in the towel.

Dr. Maureen Orey, who teaches resilience leadership to executives, reminds her clients that the best leaders aren’t the ones who never hit turbulence.

They’re the ones who know how to respond when they do.

And the research backs it up:

• The Harvard Business Review found that resilient leaders are 3X more effective at managing uncertainty and maintaining team morale.

• The American Psychological Association reports that high-resilience professionals are 60% more likely to sustain long-term performance without burnout.

• A McKinsey study revealed that companies that prioritized adaptability and resilience grew twice as fast during volatile markets.

Here’s What to Do Instead of Spiraling

When your metaphorical engine catches fire, try this:

1. Pause, Don’t Panic

Step back. Breathe. Reaction often clouds better judgment. You have time—even when it doesn’t feel like it.

2. Reassess, Don’t Rewrite Everything

The strategy may still be sound. You may just need a new track—not a new train.

3. Choose Communication Over Control

Let people know where you are. Whether it’s a team, client, or partner—transparency buys grace.

4. Build for Flexibility, Not Just Optimization

Create processes that allow for shifts. Your system should bend without breaking.

The Train Wasn’t the Lesson—The Recovery Was

I didn’t expect to be writing this on a downgraded train, side-eyeing strangers and counting the hours.

But here we are.

And strangely—I’m grateful for it.

Because business strategy isn’t just about what you plan.

It’s about what you practice when the plan goes sideways.

If you’re in a moment like this—personally or professionally—I see you.

And if you need a partner to help you recalibrate when things go off the rails, you know where to find me.

ExecutiveCatHerder.com

We don’t build strategy for a perfect world.

We build it for this one.