A broader horizon can help you grow professionally

I AM sure many of you love travelling. For myself, it has been something that I have loved doing from a very young age. I rate it as one the biggest motivators in my life. I can attest to the veracity of travelling as a personal development tool.

If you park your “teh tarik” cravings aside, store your currency exchange calculator away, have an open mind, and discard your natural tendency to compare everything to what you know; when you travel, you will see your horizons broadening in a most fulfilling manner.

I have thrived personally and professionally, when I have gone abroad.

Because I am out of my comfort zone, I talk less and listen more. And, I have no choice but to interact with people who I would normally not have the chance to associate with.

Being away from home also means that I see ways of living that are so different to what I know.

This always makes it a priceless resource for my professional growth.

International travel offers you a tangible opportunity to be inspired. Regardless of what field you are in, you will notice how other cultures manage businesses, or how they work in your particular industry.

If you observe and learn, you will come home inspired with new solutions and ideas. Each time I come home after a trip, I am motivated to tweak my approach to my work.

When you go out of the country, you also tend to be able to see the wider picture. Your daily problems, when juxtaposed with some of the issues you will witness elsewhere, will seem relatively less complex.

For example, I drive around Kuala Lumpur for work all the time. One of my major stressors is the state of affairs of our roads.

However, when I come back from neighbouring countries, in particular from work assignments in Jakarta, I am always thankful that our traffic woes pale in insignificance when compared with their renowned problems. It helps me to manage my outlook, and consequently, eases my stress level.

Being exposed to new cultures through travel also gives you alternative perspectives. Each year, I spend a few weeks in Austria, where my wife comes from. One of the things I found very hard to grasp when I first went there was that everyone turned up on time.

In Malaysia, there is a general understanding that if you invite someone over for dinner at 8pm, you are expected to give them some latitude.

They will have to navigate traffic, or sort out their own issues, first. In Austria, they will arrive no later than 7.59pm. This used to disarm me a little. I had to be ready for them.

Eventually, I learnt that in their culture, it was important to respect the other person’s time. This has worked really well for me workwise, especially when dealing with foreign clients.

Of course, the most valuable contribution that travelling does for my career growth is that it allows me to rest and refresh. I find that stepping away from the rigmarole of my daily life helps me decompress.

When I travel, it does not mean that I stop thinking about my work or my businesses. But, because my mind is relaxed, I am able to think more clearly. I also get energised, and this results in a better work product when I return.

My thoughts turned to travelling as a career catalyst this past week because I had a discussion that inspired me to think about this.

I spent an evening chatting with legendary sports journalist Bob Holmes, who has a sizeable following of his weekly football columns. He has also recently released a book on football ownership in England.

I was curious about what got him on the path of journalism.

It turns out that his first column in print was for the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation in 1974. And, it was this unplanned venture into writing while travelling from Cairo to Cape Town that led to him to become an accomplished and well-respected journalist.

The need to earn money as a struggling young traveller through unfamiliar terrain meant that Bob had to think and leverage on the skills he had. He had to get out of his comfort zone to reach out to new people and build relationships that would keep him afloat.

That first foray overseas launched his career in sports journalism. And, it took him from Africa, back home to the United Kingdom, to Australia, and eventually settling down in Malaysia.

When I asked Bob what these travels did for him, he replied: “It gave me an incredible variety of experiences, was a great adventure in the old fashioned sense, but also a great learning curve. I do feel a more rounded human being having done it.”

Incidentally, if you are interested in football, get a copy of Bob’s book insightful book in local bookstores. It’s called “Living the Dream”. If you want to grow professionally, travel as far and as often as you can.

The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller “So, You Want To Get Promoted?”

If you observe and learn, you will come home inspired with new solutions and ideas. Each time I come home after a trip, I am motivated to tweak my approach to my work.