Plane Traveling Tip #14.
Pack breath mints and a water for the plane.

Let’s just start out being honest here. The inside of a plane is small. They hold a lot of people and the chance that you’ll become crammed into the middle seat for a long trip is nearly one in three. Don’t test my math on that one – but the point is true. This year, I’ve started my duties with flights to Atlanta, GA, Washington D.C. and San Francisco, CA. This isn’t my first time on flights, but this is my first time on flights that actually had purpose on the other end. I was a true business traveler – Nevermind the low budget and the fact that I usually taxied to the actual destination instead of limo’s and chauffer’s.

For my first trip, I was the middle seat, something I never was excited about. This time, however, I tried out a new attitude, shall we say “a new lease on middle seat traveling.” I was settled in for the 3 hour flight between two gentlemen. They were professionally dressed and straight lipped, I’d guess they were mid careers and also traveling on business and not pleasure. From the first impression, I would say that both of them had their minds on their business and were intently interested in something other than the conversations I was about to start with both of them!

It started with a casual hello and the typical “HSL intro” as I like to call it. “Great day today huh? Traveling on business or pleasure?” Cue hand shake and the intro: “Great to meet you, I’m Stephanie Sandstrom. I’m a senior at the University of Mary, finishing up my degrees in business administration and accounting.” The next question was almost predictable and happens in most conversations. “Where is the University of Mary?” and just like that, I’m IN! I just happened to be sitting next to and chatting with the Ambassador to the US from Ukraine. After finding out a little more about his job and asking a million questions on the lifestyle, culture and landscape of the Ukraine. I quietly offered the gentleman on my right a way into the conversation we were having. Needless to say, he was Regional rep for a stock brokerage firm.

The three hours flew by and we were landing in Washington D.C. I slipped them my business card and thanked them for the pleasure of meeting them. Networking skills at their finest!

Remember what I said earlier about turning over a new leaf and really taking advantage of the middle seat? This was the first time that I tried out my new tactic. Since that decision, I’ve met people with interesting jobs, stories and outlooks on life. Among them an Ambassador, a speech writer for the executives at Best Buy, a marketing executive for Farmers Union Insurance, a retired director of Homeland Security are now in my network. A distant email with a genuine hello is how I keep in touch.

So the next time you’re gearing up for a flight, whether for business or for pleasure, Remember the conversation and don’t forget the mints!Until next time,
Successfully Yours,
Stephanie

09/06/2007
Where did summer go? Great question. Better question for me, Was that my summer? As the hot temperatures and long days turn into chilly and short ones we all start the first or another year of college life. If you’re like me, you were eagerly looking forward to the books, the new professors and the learning on the inside while putting on the look of disgust as you painfully dreaded it on the outside. It was great to be back on track with a schedule and meeting the new people that I’ll spend the next 4 months with in that classroom on campus.

With all the busy-ness of my summer I still found time to read a few pages in the recently published leadership books. I always found those books that would be really interesting to read but never found the time. My goal this summer was to find them and then actually read them. With the help of my mentors I found 6 books that will keep me thinking for quite some time. One of our class periods in HSL my sophomore year, brought in a community business leader that shared with us the value of reading. I didn’t really buy into his concept that year because all that was sitting on my bookshelf were the two hundred dollar accounting books. I can tell you that these weren’t much of a “fun” time when they were open to that page with the GAAP rules and regulations. I remember that it was his goal to spend at least 10 hours a week reading. Some were spent reading career specific materials such as his industry’s white papers and the rest was filled with the “Maxwell” type of book. So, long story short. If there was one thing I would have changed in the past 4 years, it would have been to read for self development—more. So, here’s my top five book list, I wouldn’t steer you wrong – Take a minute to give them a chance.

If you haven’t already, check out The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. This book and movie combination really opened my eyes to “The Secret” as they say.

Another good read is, Talent is Never Enough, by John C. Maxwell . Read this 272 pager in a long weekend, it was that good.

For all of you team leaders out there, check out: High Five: The magic of working together, By Kenneth H. Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles, Donald Carew and Eunice Parisi-Carew. This started off my “summer” reading and it was a treat.

This one will keep you thinking. It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Michael Abrashoff

I found this to be interesting but it is a concept leadership book for people in the workplace. We’ll all be there someday so start learning now right? Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance, by Marcus Buckingham

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did! Take the word of a speaker I listened to almost 3 years ago. READ!