There I was in the Boise airport, walking toward my gate, when I stopped. Completely stopped.

My flight wasn’t delayed, I hadn’t forgotten something, I wasn’t even being paged back to the TSA counter.

Nope…I stopped because sitting across the ramp was the Alaska Airlines Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge livery.

I wasn’t flying on it. In fact I was traveling on Southwest Airlines that day.

Yet there I stood—a grown man who spends an unhealthy amount of time in airports—grinning like a 10-year-old kid staring out the terminal window.

I took a picture. Sent it to friends. Posted it on social media (and tagged Alaska Airlines – they were awesome in their response btw).

Over the next couple of days, nearly 20,000 people viewed the post. Hundreds reacted. Dozens commented. Many shared their own stories about favorite airplane liveries, Travel memories, and the unexpected things that still make them stop and smile.

And it got me thinking.

Why? Why did so many people respond, why did this resonate, what made this stand out?

The truth: someone intentionally created an experience.

Someone decided that an airplane didn’t have to be just another airplane.

It could tell a story. It could spark curiosity. It could create a moment.

In a world where so much travel feels rushed and transactional, a single airplane made people pause, pull out their phones, smile, and become kids again.

Leadership isn’t all that different.

Most organizations spend enormous amounts of energy trying to become more efficient.

And they should. Systems matter. Processes matter. Strategic plans matter.

But very few leaders spend the same intentional energy creating experiences that people remember.

People rarely tell stories about a well-organized spreadsheet or a perfectly formatted agenda.

They remember experiences.

• They remember the principal who stood outside every morning greeting students by name.
• They remember the superintendent who unexpectedly showed up at a Friday night event simply to cheer on kids and staff.
• They remember the CEO who walked the floor just to ask, “How are you doing?”
• They remember the leader who sent a handwritten note after a difficult week instead of another email.

They remember how they felt.

That’s how culture is built. And over time, that’s how your brand is built.

Not your logo. Not your mission statement. Not the words painted on the wall.

Your brand is simply the experience people have every time they interact with you and your organization.

The schools people never want to leave. The companies people recommend to friends. The leadership teams that attract great people.

They all have something in common. They create memorable moments intentionally.

Sometimes it’s a tradition. Sometimes it’s a celebration. Sometimes it’s a hallway conversation that lasts less than a minute. Sometimes it’s simply taking the time to truly listen.

Those moments may seem small.

But small moments, repeated consistently, become culture.

So here’s a challenge.

Walk into your building, your office, or your next leadership meeting as if you’re experiencing it for the very first time.

What do people see? What do they hear? What do they feel? What story are they going to tell when they leave?

Because every interaction is creating an experience, whether you planned for it or not.

And those experiences become stories; stories become reputation; reputation becomes culture.

I never stepped foot on that Star Wars plane.

I simply happened to see it through a terminal window.

Yet here I am, days later, still thinking about it.

Still smiling. Still telling the story.

That’s the power of an unforgettable experience.

The best leaders understand that their influence isn’t measured only by goals achieved, budgets balanced, or strategic plans completed.

It’s measured by the moments they create.

The hallway conversation that restored someone’s confidence. The celebration that made people feel seen. The tradition that people can’t wait to experience again. The simple act of making someone feel like they belong.

Those moments rarely happen by accident. They’re intentional.

And over time, they become the stories people tell about your school, your company, your team, and your leadership.

So the next time you’re planning a meeting, welcoming a new employee, recognizing a colleague, or simply walking the halls, ask yourself one question:

Will this be another task…or could it become an experience someone remembers?

Because long after people forget the agenda, they’ll remember how they felt.

And those unforgettable experiences are what transform ordinary organizations into extraordinary places to belong.

Darrin Peppard Dr. Darrin Peppard

Dr. Darrin Peppard is an author, leadership coach, consultant, and speaker focused on organizational culture and climate, and growing emerging leaders. Darrin is the best-selling author of the book Road to Awesome, and is the host of the Leaning into Leadership podcast. As a ‘recovering high school principal’, Darrin shares strategies and lessons learned from 26 years in public education to help leaders gain clarity, find joy in their work, and walk in their purpose.