Business Travel - Friend or Foe?
Like a lot of people out there, I have had my share of corporate travel. In a previous life (one I left to join the world of small business to avoid) I was based in the Middle East for nearly 6 years and travelled internationally nearly every week. This takes its toll on lots of things such as- missed family time and outcomes associated with this, time wasted at airports and lounges, eating bad food, another city, another hotel room etc. etc. Not quite the glamour I initially thought. I have early visions as a child thinking that friends who had parents who travelled had the best job, from my experience it isn’t all it is cracked up to be!
So I left this life and came back home to Australia, partially to escape travel, only to end up in Perth and then every few weeks still spend time flying back and forth to Sydney. So I didn’t quite escape! Now I am back on the east coast and spend less time travelling, so the daunting side has reduced, to more of a novelty. The only bit of that past life I miss are the people in all the cities I went to, but social media, email (and phones) can eliminate that gap easily.
As the circle has now nearly turned a complete revolution as a small business owner, I pose the question to all as to whether you now dread the travel side of the business world and why?
Do you work smarter and utilise technology such as Skype, GoTo Meetings, conference calls etc. or do you still insist on the face to face?
If face to face is still important, have you taken the time to consider the cost of a trip to you or your business? It isn’t just the airfares and hotel and meals, but the time you are away at your hourly rate doing ‘other things’, it’s the time away from family events or school events which cant be replaced as well. There is a big sacrifice to those who live this life whether in corporate or in their own business!
Maybe I’m just being all philosophical as I sit in a café in Melbourne after flying down here for two days this week. This has meant re-scheduled meetings, missing an event and being away physically. Some of these things just can’t have a price put on them, but I guess it is a necessary evil as the world gets smaller and smaller!
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Tony Ozanne
Small Fish Business Coaching Canberra
www.smallfish.com.au
