I am probably one of a few who enjoys business travel. Colleagues and friends often remark that business travel “is not what it’s cracked up to be”. My secret? I intentionally add a time buffer before and after my business meeting or workshop to add to my personal quality time. This personal best practice affords three priceless opportunities:

1. Absence of adrenaline rush. So much can happen on the way to the airline boarding gate. Traffic; parking issues; security line-ups; a briefcase search; a gate change. Each adds stress. One or more can seriously elevate blood pressure and raise anxiety with concern about missing a flight or being late for a meeting. With a time buffer, I am able to take these incidents with stride and relax into my travel experience.
2. Time to read or write with no interruptions. I do invite and appreciate a few distractions as I observe the goings-on of people moving through the airport or when I strike up a conversation with a fellow traveller.
3. Observe customer service practices (my favourite). Airports, airlines, and hotels provide rich examples of good and bad customer service practices that I then share with my clients. Recently, I witnessed the cascading effects on staff and customers/passengers when an Air Canada ground employee failed to follow the best practice for boarding. I witnessed how the inflight crew responded. First with frustration; second with grace and accountability to reset customer/passenger expectations.

Best practices (both personal and professional) contribute to consistent performance that adds value for everyone.