Travel Smarter, Grow Stronger: 3 Ways to Boost Your Confidence on Business Trips
Travel Smarter, Grow Stronger: 3 Ways to Boost Your Confidence on Business Trips
Travelling for work can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re heading to a conference, a speaking gig, or a networking event, you’re constantly navigating new places, meeting new people, and adapting to different cultures. It can feel like a lot.
But here’s the thing – travel isn’t just about work. It’s an opportunity to grow, build confidence, and gain new perspectives that can help you in both business and life. After visiting 13 countries in 12 months for work, I’ve picked up some key lessons on how to make business travel more than just a checklist of meetings and events.
The best way to approach it? Stay curious, listen, and fully embrace the experience. Here’s how:
1. Curiosity is Your Superpower
When you land in a new city, your first instinct might be to stick to what’s familiar, such as big chain hotels, well-known restaurants, or just heading straight to your event. But the best way to learn about a place (and build your confidence) is to explore with curiosity.
Arrive a day early or stay a day later to get a feel for the city.
Walk everywhere – getting lost is often the best way to discover hidden gems.
Ask locals where to eat, what to do, and what to avoid. Restaurant staff, shopkeepers, or even taxi drivers often have the best recommendations. Become their friend.
2. Listening Opens Doors
One of the best ways to understand a new place, that I love doing, is to simply stop and listen. Observing how people communicate, interact, and go about their day gives you insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Grab a coffee, sit in a busy area, and people-watch. Notice how locals engage with each other.
Listen to different accents, tones, and expressions – it helps you adapt better in business conversations and better understand the nuances of the language.
Strike up casual conversations with the people around you. You never know where a chat with a barista or shop owner might lead.
Good networking isn’t just about talking – it’s about paying attention to what others have to say.
3. Embracing the Culture
If you want to build real connections, immerse yourself in the local experience. Food is a great place to start, it brings people together and gives you a sense of the culture – a big part of learning is eating your way through the city.
Visit local markets instead of big-name restaurants.
Support small businesses and engage with locals.
Use meals as an opportunity to network, whether with colleagues or new connections you’ve made.
Travelling isn’t just about the places you visit; it’s about the people you meet and the stories you take back with you.
Sonya Barlow in New York City, AnitaB Grace Hopper Conference
Takeaway
Confidence isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about being open to learning. Whether it’s exploring a new city, listening to different perspectives, or embracing the local culture, every trip is a chance to grow and better yourself.
Key Piece of Advice
The more you step outside your comfort zone, the more confident you become.
Every new experience, such as trying a new dish, navigating a foreign city, or striking up a conversation, adds to your personal and professional development.
So What?
Business travel isn’t just about meetings and events. It’s about expanding your mindset, building meaningful connections, and gaining experiences that shape you into a stronger, more confident professional.
Next time you travel for work, don’t just stick to the schedule. Stay curious, listen, embrace the journey, and adopt the idea of Bleisure (business + leisure). You never know what (or who) you might discover.
Sonya Barlow is an award-winning entrepreneur, presenter and author with over 100K followers. She hosts her self-titled YouTube show "The Sonya Barlow Show", authored the business book "Unprepared to Entrepreneur" and runs a business inclusion consultancy and networking app the "LMF Network". You can work with Sonya for campaigns, content and conversation. Connect via email - Hello@SonyaBarlow.Co.Uk.