This is How Travel Supercharged my Career.

Here’s a high-priority item I recommend for everyone, for assured additional success in your career — especially if you’re in business and have to work with global teams.

Travel. To as many countries as possible.

It will supercharge your career. (You’ll thank me forever for this advice)

I’ve been to about 35 countries, and here are the top 3 things I learned:

• I realized and internalized that every culture is slightly different, and what’s frowned at and what’s respected is different everywhere. Sometimes, what’s frowned upon in some cultures is respected in others (E.g.: Working long hours — deeply respected in Asian cultures, less so in Western cultures). After a point in your life as a traveler, you’ll realize you stop frowning and will begin to enjoy the various cultures around the world, and will be respectful to all cultures and accept them at face value. This has been crucial in my work success — especially as I’ve had to manage global teams and operate across the world with clients who’re all quite different.
• I learned the trust vs. power equation by experiencing it. In some cultures, trust is more powerful than power. In others, power is more powerful than trust (also applies to companies, not just cultures). So now I flex my style: I choose between a) Building trust and influence through subject expertise and relationships vs. b) Stating my title in my email signature to ensure I’m trusted off the bat. Has helped me carry out bizdev and sales efforts worldwide.
• I can now make a fool of myself without worry (this is critical!). As a vegetarian, I usually need to learn to ask for vegetarian food in the local language. I always get a friendly guffaw (and some vegetarian food. Worldwide!) when I do that the first few times. After a point, I like the experience of saying something I don’t know I’m saying right, and getting friendly feedback. How does this help at work? I can take risky decisions without excessive fear of failure. The correlation was something I realized much later.

I cannot say how traveling to various parts of the world will help each person, but one thing I do know is that it will have a profound impact on one’s personality and career.

So: Travel.

P.S: Have a system to make sure you travel. Travel to a new country every birthday (and/or anniversary). Even if it’s a 3–4 day trip, it’s good enough.