Lessons from Travel

This week, I am on the road again. I’m in Dallas. Meetings, flights, hotel check-ins, rushing from one place to another. Travel is part of my work. And every time I travel, it teaches me something new.

I’ve written before about the importance of planning a trip well, about how delays test our patience, and how missed flights force us to be flexible. This trip reminded me of a few more lessons.

1. Preparation helps, but it doesn’t guarantee

I had my schedule blocked. Meetings lined up. But still, things shifted. Some of my Houston meetings didn’t happen. Preparation gave me space to adjust—but not complete control.
👉 Leadership is the same. Planning is important. But don’t expect perfection. Build some margin for surprises.

2. Delays show your mindset

Yesterday, one of my meetings in Dallas got postponed because of severe weather and thunderstorms. Earlier, this would frustrate me. Now, I just adapt. I used the extra time to prepare better, catch up on email, and simply pause for a moment.
👉 In teams too, the real test is not when things go well, but when they don’t.

3. Flexibility is a skill

One day here, I had to shuffle between customer meetings and internal catch-ups. Not everything went the way I wanted, but moving things around quickly helped.
👉 Leaders should practice flexibility, not just talk about it.

4. Listening gives you fresh ideas

On this trip, I heard stories from customers that I wouldn’t get if I stayed behind a desk. Travel opens my ears. It gives me insights that no report can.
👉 Slow down, listen, and you’ll always learn something new.

5. Purpose keeps you steady

Travel can be tiring. Different beds, long days, missed routines. But when you remember why you are doing it—meeting customers, building trust, growing the business—it becomes easier.
👉 Same in leadership. Purpose is the anchor.

Every trip reminds me: travel doesn’t just test your plan, it tests your patience, flexibility, and focus. And these are the same qualities we need as leaders, every day.This week, I ask you:

If you were on a long trip right now, what leadership lesson would you carry with you—patience, flexibility, listening, or purpose?