Top 4 guidelines for smooth travel

paul — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:31:24 +0000

After years of frequent travel, I have learned some valuable personal guidelines that I am happy to share with you now.

Don’t be in a hurry – Allow yourself plenty of time during every stage of your journey. You’ll feel a lot better and make smarter choices along the way if you don’t have to rush everywhere.
Plan and prepare – Do your research to know where you’re going, when you have to be somewhere, and all the logistical details that get you from point A to B: Flight number, time, airline, gate, arrival time, frequent flier number, rental car membership number, reservation confirmation number, driving directions, address of the hotel, hotel membership number, hotel confirmation code, driving directions to and from your client site and the hotel, driving directions to the airport from both hotel and client, return flight number and so on, transportation to and from home airport if necessary along with confirmation numbers and dispatch/customer service phone numbers. You don’t want to have to figure this out on the fly, and you don’t want to have to dig for anything while driving, etc.
Whatever happens, roll with it and don’t lose your cool – Things will go wrong, plans will change without your permission, there’s always something unexpected that will happen. Just roll with it. Be smart and use what options you have, but don’t lose your cool about things you can’t control. And definitely don’t yell at innocent service workers. Practice being patient and serene. You can do it.
Don’t count on good signs and instructions – Take it from me, an experienced traveler: nearly everything and every place has extremely poor signs and instructions. I’m talking about booking travel and accommodations, using airports, rental car desks and lots, highways, hotels, everything. Most places are run by people who have no idea how to communicate clearly and efficiently with signs and instructions or directions. So don’t count on them. And when you find yourself in a tough spot because someone failed with the signs and so on, roll with it and don’t lose your cool. This is where the other guidelines will really help you – don’t be in a hurry, do lots of research, planning, and map-printing, etc., and just remain calm when things go wrong.

I got some good advice

paul — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:00:44 +0000

Some wise and seasoned professionals gave me some good advice over the last three years.

Show me the output.
This is my paraphrase. To others, it might be stated as “a bias for action”. Either way, I try to remind myself that the point of work is to produce.
Have a methodology.
Not only will being methodical help order my work, but also it reduces stress. I’d rather spend time creating solutions instead of winging it without a methodology.
You are entitled.
This one has a wide range of meaning and applicability, from getting what I need to do my job to getting some distance when I need it.
You are not the client.
This work is all about relationships and teamwork, but I am the advisor (and sometimes only the catalyst) – not the client.
Are you hired to do what you’re told, or is it your job to make expert recommendations?
Like the others, this question had a profound effect on me. I see all the ones I look up to following this rule.
Finally, from the great Tom Peters: Fail. Forward. Fast.
This small phrase sums up so much great advice. Basically, it means “make mistakes”. Got an idea? Act on it, fast. Learn from what worked and what didn’t work. Fix it, extend it, start over, rebuild it if necessary. But make progress. See what didn’t work and learn from the experience. Iterate.

Paul Worthington » advice

Top 4 guidelines for smooth travel

I got some good advice