My Travel Tips
Over the years, I have traveled over 1 million miles to nearly 50 countries. Given that I fly so frequently, I am often asked for my suggestions for traveling more comfortably, efficiently, and cheaply. Here is a VERY short list:
- Subscribe to TripIt Pro - TripIt is an awesome website/app that makes life easier for all travelers. When you book a flight, hotel or car, you simply forward your confirmation email to TripIt and it populates your travel plans in one place. The pro version monitors flights and tells you of delays (typically before you hear from the airline). And it notifies you when prices drop. I have saved hundreds of dollars just on this one feature. In fact, I just saved another $150 today.
- Travel with an iPad – Although this is a minor tip, if you bring your iPad instead of a computer, you save time in the security line. You don’t need to remove iPads from your briefcase (except in some countries outside of the United States). I use Carbonite to back up all of my files from my computer in the cloud, so I can access them on my iPad anywhere/any time.
- Use SeatGuru.com – If you fly often and have not used SeatGuru, you are missing out. This website has the configuration of every aircraft on every airline. It tells you which are the best seats and which ones to avoid. If you augment this with my strategy for always getting a good seat on a plane, you will be more comfortable.
- Buy Premium Seating – First class seats are typically overpriced, especially for shorter trips when you can suck it up and be uncomfortable for a couple of hours. But getting extra legroom AND getting priority access through security lines and boarding is worth the money for any flight. Several airlines offer this. United has Economy Plus with Premier Access. JetBlue has Even More Space seating which also gets you through a special line at security and early boarding.
- Use Hotwire and Priceline – I have been using these sites for ages and can get incredible deals on hotels. A few years back (2006) I wrote an article on how to use these sites most effectively to get the best rate. Things have not changed much since then, although there are sites where people share their deals with others helping you find the best rates.
- Take Advantage of Credit Card Offerings – Most people are not aware of the deals you can get with your credit card. Some offer car rental insurance (I pay extra to use AMEX’s $25 flat fee for complete coverage). Other offer freebies like Global Entry (speed through US Customs), airline companion tickets, or airline lounge access (e.g., Priority Pass). And don’t forget to use your AAA card for discounts (Hilton offers great rates with the card).
There are SO many more ways to travel comfortably, efficiently, and cheaply. What other suggestions do you have?
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Work with People You Don’t Like
When asked by a Fortune 20 company to boil down Personality Poker into a 350 word article for their intranet, this is what I created…
We all have heard the expression, “opposites attract.” But in fact there is irrefutable scientific evidence that in relationships, opposites repel. We prefer to be around people who are similar to us. In business, this means that we tend to surround ourselves with people who think like we do. They have similar personality styles.
Although working with people who are like us improves efficiency, and makes relationships easier, this “commonality” destroys innovation. Innovation is based on different and divergent points of view coming together to create something new of value.
If you want innovation to flourish in your organization, you need to find those individuals who complement your style and address your innovation blindspots.
Look at the list of words below. Which set of words resonates with you the most and best describes you?
A: Intellectual, Knowledgeable, Philosophical, Logical, Realistic, Rational, Skeptical
B: Adventurous, Spontaneous, Flexible, Creative, Open Minded, Insightful, Curious
C: Goal-Oriented, Driven, Decisive, Competitive, Disciplined, Organized, Systematic
D: Diplomatic, Sociable, Gregarious, Popular, Nurturing, Empathetic, Compassionate
The list that best describes you is your primary personality style (and yes, people have more than one style). A’s tend to be a bit more data-driven and analytical, B’s like new ideas and experiences, C’s like to plan the work and work the plan, and D’s are into people and relationships.
However, who you are NOT is more important than who you are. Look at the lists of words again. Which words do NOT describe you? Which ones would be opposite of your style? What you may find is that those who are not like you, you may not like. Their differences can be annoying. Yet these differences are the very thing that can help innovation thrive.
The next time you are working on a complex problem or developing a new solution, seek out someone who is different. Appreciate their contribution. Recognize that the person you like the least, may be the person you need the most. Their differences can be the key to unlocking your success.
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High Tech Presentations
When I give speeches, there is always an interactive component, regardless of whether the audience is 10 or 10,000 people.
I like being able to draw, but flip charts do not work well for large groups.
Therefore, I use a pretty cool technological set-up to run my presentations:
- I run my Keynote presentation off of my iPad2. I also use Penultimate app as the drawing application. This combination allows me to show slides but also use my iPad as an electronic whiteboard. I like the elago Stylus for writing. You need either the VGA or HDMI dongle from the Apple store. (NOTE: this set-up will not work properly with the iPad1 because it lacks VGA mirroring)
- Using a bluetooth connection, I control the slides from my iPhone using the “Keynote Remote” app. In addition to letting me walk around the stage, it also let’s me see the next slide on my iPhone before I advance. This allows me to mentally queue up what I will say next.
- If there is a WiFi network, I can use Apple TV (3rd generation) to connect my iPad wirelessly to an HDMI projector. This not only allows me to be cable-free. It allows me to walk into the audience with my iPad and draw while off the stage.
- For smaller venues that don’t have an HDMI connection, I have an HDMI to VGA converter that allows me to hook wirelessly to old school projectors.
I find that with this set-up, I can create an engaging and interactive experience instead of a boring speech.
What other technologies do you use to make your speeches more engaging?
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Different Questions = Different Solutions
I recently had a conversation with a colleague who is a professional speaker. She and her husband are debating if they want to have a child in the near future.
She said, “Right now my life is easy and I know if I have a child, it will be a lot more difficult.”
The implied question: “Do I want a life that is easy or one that is challenging?” Based on that question alone, many might go for the easy solution.
But maybe this is the wrong question. I asked her, “How fulfilling is your life right now?”
Her answer: “Although life is easy, it is not fulfilling.” She felt that having a child would make life more fulfilling.
A different question gives a different perspective which yields different solutions.
Because she eventually wants children, she wants to travel less. As a professional speaker, she currently only makes money when she is on the road. Therefore, to create passive income, she has been developing a number of “products” (books, CDs, DVD, cards, etc) that she can sell.
What she is doing again implies a particular question: “How do I create products that will generate passive income?” As it turns out, the creation of these products has required a lot of time and money on her part. And there is very little leverage since the margins are so low and the distribution channels are limited.
But what if she asked a different question: “How do I generate passive income that can scale with minimal effort and minimal investment?”
Now she has many more options including licensing, partnerships, sponsorships, technological platforms, etc. The work can be done by others rather than her. And given that others are selling to their networks, she can gain much greater leverage. The opportunity now is much larger.
If you ask a different question, you will get a different solution. And from my experience, most individuals and organizations are asking the wrong questions. And this will always lead to the wrong solution. A simple shift in mindset can fundamental shape your success.
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Two Recent Interviews
If you want to hear my voice talk about innovation, here are two recent interviews for podcasts:
I had a blast with Karen Keller when we addressed how women (and men) can be more innovative. This was a no holds barred conversation where I said what was really on my mind: Power Influencer Series
SchoolBriefing.com is a subscrition-based website targeted at school administrators. In this interview, I discuss how teachers, educators, and administrators can be more effective in the way they teach their students. This link will allow you to listen to the recording and read the transcript without a subscription: Re-Thinking Innovation, Creativity and Collaboration
800 CEO READ
Indiebound
