Shoulda Told Me #2

You know the current airline commercial….. The one where a guy volunteers to get on a plane every time the boss asks? Well, he’s got it right. Travel is an important part of the business world…. For many reasons. I sure wish someone had told me that early on in my career.

Travel will benefit you on many levels.

First, it will teach you resilience. Let’s face it, when you travel, your bags WILL get lost, your flights WILL be delayed or cancelled, you WILL get lost as you drive, your hotel reservation WILL get messed up, etc. And if you are a “controlling type” (like I’m known to be), those challenges will certainly test you. To respond, you’ll have to learn how to sit back and let the world pass by --- people watching, reading, doing your crossword, etc. --- patience is a learned virtue, in my opinion.

Second, as your travels take you outside your country’s borders, you will have the opportunity to learn about other nations’ cultures and activities. How fascinating that can be! From a banquet in China to touring a business in Rio, you’ll see and hear many concepts and ideas that will open your mind (and sometimes appall you!). Perhaps, they are ideas that you can bring home and put to work for you or your company.

Finally, it makes you the “go to guy” (guy, in the generic sense, of course! ). As you volunteer to take on travel “missions” over and over, your boss(es) come to think of you as the person they can go to. And over time, it won’t just be going to you for travel, he or she will begin to go to you for all sorts of interesting assignments.

Having said all of that, yes, you should travel when you have the chance. But there is one caveat. Don’t forget where home is. It is ironic that, for many years, I wished that I lived anywhere but the Midwest. And now, after all of the traveling, I’ve learned that this little slice of the world is pretty darned nice to come home to.

Cheers!