Traveling on business, Some Dos and Don’ts
A few simple but crucial things I wish I’d known years ago
Throughout my career, I’ve traveled to numerous foreign countries and multiple cities throughout Japan and found the experience educational and personally rewarding.
The efforts made to get through customs and immigration, fly on crowded planes, and sleep in hotels away from one’s comfortable bed seemed to balance the benefits of the intriguing venues visited, the exciting people I met, and the feeling of satisfaction when I completed a mission successfully.
One important thing I learned quickly was to reserve the “sharing” of the more attractive experiences only with other people who traveled on business and understood the demands of each journey. People who have not traveled much for business or pleasure won’t appreciate your conversation. You might be considered a braggard or a teller of tall tales.
The decision to err on the side of caution is especially true when conversing (about fun on business trips) with the most important people in your life who might not understand the “big picture” involved with business travel.
My “first wife” resented hearing about anything novel or exciting I discovered or enjoyed on a business trip. Talking about a delicious meal, a visit to a sporting event, entertainment at a reception, or a day off used to sightsee was never well received.
Why?
People left at home don’t have to carry their luggage through airports, wait in line at rental counters, set two alarms to ensure on-time wake-ups, or fight jet lag throughout a trip. I sometimes woke up at 4 a.m. to prepare for a presentation, sat in the back of cars for hours to arrive at a hospital, and was given five minutes to present a product.
(I worked for an international orthopedic device company and worked with distributors to launch products in Asia.)
It’s important to understand that when you talk about the 5% of time spent on recreational or attractive parts of a trip, you are giving the impression that you were not focused on work but were enjoying more of a vacation. Most people left behind will not appreciate it.
(I found that even my children soon repeated their mother’s complaints and criticism about my business travel.)
I quickly learned that discretion is the better part of valor and became careful with any information shared about anything other than hard work and the challenges inherent to travel.
And in my family’s defense, being left behind is never fun. The everyday chores commonly shared can be overwhelming, and the stress naturally makes a person feel resentful.
(This is especially true when one or more children are sick.)
I’ve come to appreciate this more in recent months as my demanding and ever-needy cat causes me anxiety when I’m left alone to care for him while my wife travels on business.
(I wish I was kidding. Oliver the cat is a piece of work.)
When you go on a business trip, please return with souvenirs. They don’t have to be expensive or exotic. Local grocery stores are a sensational venue for finding inexpensive and attractive items uncommon in our city to share with the family. Caveat: Always be fair and get everyone in the house something.
I once witnessed a businessman exiting the plane where his wife and young children waited for him. (Before September 11th, 2001, People could enter domestic airports and wait at the gates for passengers to exit the planes.) He handed his daughter a stuffed animal, rubbed his son on his head, and hugged his wife.
(I wonder how much damage this disregard for his son’s feelings caused over time.)
I’m fortunate to know the preparation and demands of a business trip, and I love to hear about my wife’s experiences as she travels the world as an interpreter. Her travel itineraries are marathons, requiring early mornings and journeys on trains, planes, and automobiles. Still, her corporate clients always seem to fit in an exciting side trip to a sporting event, a musical performance, and world-class dining experiences.
I try to pick my wife up at the airport on her return trips and enjoy listening to her adventures until her head drops, she slumps against the car door, and she falls asleep. It makes me smile and reflect on my experiences, and I feel grateful for what we share. If you are reading this article and think that you and your partner are fortunate to be in the same space and understand the rigors of travel that balance or negate any of the good times, please forgive the repetition of my message.
Young business travelers should be prudent upon their return and keep the memories of the good times to themselves. Bring souvenirs and big hugs for your loved ones, as they will be well received and more welcome than anything you want to share about recreational or luxurious experiences.
They say intelligent people learn from their mistakes.
(It probably isn’t lost on people when they hear about negative feedback from my “first wife.”)
I’ve also heard that very sharp people learn from other people’s failures, and I hope that a bit of care in data distribution and some thoughtful presents might make your return home after a business trip uneventful, harmonious, and something to enjoy.
I spent time writing a thriller novel to avoid boring my wife and friends with stories about my business travel. The Courier continues to receive four-star reviews: