Guest Post by Sandra Mills

Travel - Better LeaderWhether you’re a business leader already or looking to become one, you need to be on lookout for ways to improve your leadership skills. Not only will this translate into you doing your job better, but it will relieve much of the stress associated with your job.

According to a report released by Brightspark Edu-Travel, more than 90 percent of business leaders in America testify that their travel experiences helped them master the skills it takes to be an effective leader. Let’s take a quick look at the skills they are talking about. After doing so, you’ll be well on your way to gaining a competitive edge through your travel experiences.

5 Ways Traveling Can Make You a Better Leader

Improving Communication

To be a good leader, you will need much more than top-notch verbal skills. In addition, good body language communication is a must as well as perfected writing capabilities.

When traveling either domestically or abroad, you will be provided with opportunities to overcome many language barriers. From using a language dictionary to using your hands to play a game of charades for show and tell with the locals of the country that you’re visiting, all of these communication techniques will translate into you being better able to perform your job duties as a leader.

Enhanced Cultural Awareness

You will learn a lot about diversity when you travel. Even if you’re traveling to the next state over, you’ll quickly notice there are cultural differences. As a leader, it is imperative that you take into account social norms, meaning the knowledge you gain from traveling will be of the utmost value. When you travel, keep in mind that the further away you get from home, the more noticeable cultural differences will be. It’s pertinent that you keep an open mind when traveling, as this will help you better cope with social norms that are different from yours.

Better Decision-Making Skills

When you travel, you will have to make many choices. From picking places to rest your eyes at night to choosing which activities to partake in, the choices you make will have consequences. Make good choices, and the consequences will be good. Make poor choices, and you might find yourself sleeping in a bed full of bed bugs. The important thing to note is that all decisions lead you down certain paths. If you want to be a good leader, you have to make choices that benefit your team as a whole.

Time Management

When it comes to traveling, you have to be on time for everything. Arriving at the airport late will result in you missing your transportation to wherever it is that you’re going. Traveling is all about properly managing your time, and when you take these skills to your workplace, you’re much more likely to be a better leader. Great ways to carry out effective time management in both the workplace and when traveling include:

  • Creating a to-do list
  • Using an appointment reminder
  • Expecting interruptions
  • Setting time aside every morning to schedule your day

Problem Solving

When you travel, there will always be something that doesn’t go the way you planned. While it might seem aggravating at first, unplanned happenings provide you with a great way to sharpen your problem solving skills. Whether it is getting caught up in a snowstorm or getting pulled aside by customs to get personally searched, these interruptions will force you to improvise.

The main thing to remember is to stay calm, and this applies both in the workplace as well as when traveling. When you stay calm, your mind is better able to come up with effective ways to overcome any problems you are enduring.

What leadership lessons have you learned from traveling? How has traveling made you a better leader?

Guest Author

Sandra MillsSandra Mills is a freelance health, career, and travel writer. She likes to inspire people to succeed in all walks of life.