Stormy Passages: Career Development During Times of Transition

Abstract

One night last summer on a flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia, we descended from cruising altitude. On the right side of the plane, in the distance, enormous thunder clouds lit up with bright lightning. As we got closer, there were individual bolts of lightning crossing from thunderhead to thunderhead and to the ground below. Turning to the right, the pilot announced (as only pilots can do) that other planes landing before us in Philadelphia had encountered some “chop.” When he suggested we tighten our belts we knew this would be no ordinary landing. With thunderheads on our right and left, the turbulence was enough to toss magazines from their racks. We landed only after enduring a stormy passage which rocked the plane all the way to touch down.