What traveling does to you
Over the last 3 weeks, I took some time off to travel to some of the places I’ve always wanted to visit throughout Europe. It was a combination of a long weekend and then just over 2 weeks of leave the following week. Prior to this trip, I had not taken that much time off straight for well over a decade and I definitely needed it. I drove to Lucerne, Switzerland, then to the Eastern Bloc and visited Prague in the Czech Republic. I then went to Budapest, Hungary, followed by Bratislava, Slovakia and hit Vienna, Austria on the way back to Western Europe. After that stretch, I backtracked and took time to see Paris, France, then completed the trip with a relaxing stretch in Barcelona, Spain. Over those 3 weeks I easily drove more than 1,700 miles and enjoyed almost every moment of it (there were a few times I hit traffic at toll plazas). Also, the trip that was meant to be a tourist experience along with some downtime became something so much more. I learned a lot about what traveling does to you in the past 3 weeks and thought I would share.
Traveling builds humility
As an American who can only communicate in one language effectively (I’m sure some would say this is debatable) and knows just a bunch of random words in a couple other languages, traveling and meeting people from other nations that effectively speak multiple languages is a gut check. On my trip, I met servers, hotel receptionists, and many other people who have mastered 3 or more languages. This may not mean much to you, but to me it’s amazing! Also, traveling to areas where they don’t speak English at all while you can’t read, speak or understand their language is a truly humbling experience. Everything from driving to trying to ask what ingredients are in a menu item can be extremely challenging. I went to a restaurant in Bratislava and asked if it was open seating and when the lady responded, I had no idea if it was a yes, a no, or an “I don’t know what you are saying.” Some people might find this daunting, but I actually loved it! Nothing makes you grow faster than doing something you’ve never or rarely done and for me, traveling while challenged with communicating, something most of us take for granted, was definitely a humbling and growing experience.
Traveling educates you
Trevor Noah once said, “If there’s one thing you won’t waste your money on, it’s traveling. Travel the world…traveling is the antidote to ignorance.” I truly believe this is 100% true. In the undergraduate class that I am teaching on diversity and multicultural organizations, we talk about how different cultures assign different meaning to symbols. A close quarter conversation is acceptable in one culture while not so much in others. Having drinks to discuss business is an expectation in some cultures, while others only do business in the office. In one culture, the non-verbal gesture of nodding might mean “I understand and agree with what you are saying” while in another, it is just a sign that I am paying attention and a show of respect. Sure, these subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, nuances can be read out of textbook or discussed in a classroom but without actually experiencing them for ourselves, we cannot truly comprehend them. If we are openminded, traveling and learning about how other people negotiate life can eliminate the false preconceived notions we may hold. Traveling allows us to expand our perspectives.
Traveling promotes an inclusive mindset
While traveling throughout Europe, I learned a LOT from the differences of each nation and city I visited. Even though most were a part of the European Union, many used different types of money with different rates that forced me to do some public math or even pull out the ol’ google machine to do the conversion for me. Hungary was definitely one of those challenging places. However, something I also noticed was that although we all have many differences, we really have exponentially more in common. Maslow was right! We all have the same needs and although we may pursue them differently and might have a difference of opinion on the importance we tie to various things, both material and behavioral, we are all human. We all need and seek out safety and security, sustenance, social interaction, and meaning and purpose. Having a beer with someone in Hungary is the same as in France or Spain...I should know. Now this may come off as something very obvious, and I hope it does, but something we should all learn from it is that although we are diverse, we can easily exercise inclusiveness, regardless of the manufactured barriers that exist between us. We just need to put in the effort and humble ourselves to a deep and honest curiosity of others.
Traveling makes you a better leader andhuman being
Embracing the humility and learning opportunities that can come from traveling can truly make you a better leader. First, just taking some time off and ensuring your people know you also need a respite and enjoy fun things is often overlooked as a leadership responsibility. Leadership doesn’t have an off-button, so setting the example in all things, even taking leave and enjoying life, not only humanizes you but also shows your hard-chargers how to do it right. Otherwise, if you only show the grind, you can inadvertently burn out those that look up to you the most. Also, with globalization and the ubiquitous nature of information technology, as well as the information sharing that comes along with it, learning about diverse cultures only makes sense if you are a leader. Organizations are becoming more and more diverse and multicultural each and every day. Effective leaders need to be adaptable to the people whom they are privileged to lead and traveling brings a world of life experience.
Traveling not only makes you a better leader, but alsoa better human being. The act ofexperiencing other cultures can undeniably bolster one’s diversityconsciousness, one’s understanding, awareness and skills in the area ofdiversity, and in turn, enhance one’s cultural intelligence (CQ), which you canlearn more about here: CulturalIntelligence. These result in a development of empathy in us that can only be achievedthrough human experiences. When peopleask me what the watershed moment in my life and career was, I answer that iswas when I worked at the Airman & Family Readiness Center. During my timethere I began learning about myself, how to engage with others, and developedsomething called empathy. Empathy notonly made me a better Airman and a better leader, but it made me a betterperson.
In my opinion, anything we can do to build our humility, educate ourselves, promote inclusiveness, and further develop empathy can only make us better human beings. Traveling is a great avenue to do so. So, I challenge you, get a passport (if you don’t already have one), find places that can help you grow in these ways (verify the security and safety of these locations of course), and visit them. If you truly embrace the opportunities to grow, I promise you won’t regret it.
Editor’sNote: Joe Bogdan is the co-founder of LlamaLeadership, is an adjunct professor of leadership studies and is a seniorenlisted leader in the United States Air Force. He has led various organizations with diverse missions across multiplecountries and currently oversees over 400 people composed of U.S. Military andGerman civilian personnel in Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.