Executive travel doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. It does require purpose, planning, coordination, monitoring, and communications.
We asked a few of our Executive clients who travel often, and travel well, to share a few tips on making their travels a bit less stressful and more enjoyable – because you never know where you might meet your next customer, stakeholder, vendor, supplier, or friend.
5 TIPS FOR HASSEL FREE TRAVEL
Tip #1: BE PROACTIVE – Make planning a trip a priority. Give it the proper energy to ensure you have everything you need to be effective throughout the trip. Research your options and opportunities with lodging, food and beverage, events, and travel. Keep track, check in, and monitor all travel arrangements prior to and throughout your travel. Check in online in advance. Once packed – weigh your bag before you get to the gate to check in.
Tip #2: BE EFFICIENT – Pack light and lean. Be purposeful and coordinate clothes and accessories well in advance. Try things on to ensure a good fit and the right look. Use good luggage to secure and protect your items and carry ons. Take advantage of utilizing the hotel’s dryers to get wrinkles out of your clothes.
Tip #3: BE EFFECTIVE – Maximize travel reward programs and apps. Sign-up, activate, utilize, build clout, and enjoy the perks! Charge electronics the night. before, and carry a battery pack for in-travel charging. When packing add a dryer sheet to your luggage to keep it fresh. Pack an extra plastic bag or zip-lock for those travel mishaps or TSA needs. Utilize this time to network, in-person and online – be authentic and purposeful. Remember, friendliness pays off. Bring a small bag of sweets to give to your flight attendant.
Tip #4: SELF-CARE & HEALTH – Take care of you along the way. Carry dissolvable Zinc and Vitamin C tablets. Keep a stash of peppermint gum, candy, or tea bag handy. Carry a tennis ball to roll-away the stress and soreness of travel. Dress comfortable and look good – you never know who you will meet. Pack a healthy snack to treat yourself along the way. Stay hydrated to help stave off common travel ailments.
Tip #5: DELEGATION – When possible, and highly recommended, delegate and optimize the talents of your team to help plan and coordinate your travel arrangements and needs. Also consider hiring an Executive Travel Agent or Agency with a proven track record to manage all the details. This will free you up to focus on priorities and networking, and keep you out of the weeds of the details of traveling.
Here’s to worry-free, hassel-free, and memorable traveling.
Harris Whitesell Consulting, LLC., is a global management consulting firm headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. Areas of service focus on assessments, coaching, development, and advising leaders and organizations on talent optimization, team building, maximizing leadership, and designing and sustaining constructive work cultures. Harris Whitesell Consulting’s mission is to create valued partnerships based on trust, excellence, and impact – from assessment to action. Their team of certified and highly qualified experts maximize leadership effectiveness and business success by working with people and businesses to accelerate value, optimize growth and opportunities for their leaders, teams and organizational success! To learn more, visit: www.harriswhitesellconsulting.com.
