By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
Travel can provide lessons to enhance the New Work World, as a recent cruise from Venice to Rome proved. Beginning with the winding canals, striking architecture, beautiful bridges and St. Mark’s Square in Venice and ending with making a wish in the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome, the history and landmarks I saw on this amazing trip expanded my perspective in so many ways.
The knowledge you gain from traveling makes you more interesting when you are sitting with that new client who has always wanted to tour Italy. Visiting places in Greece where the great philosophers roamed prompts philosophical “roaming” about your life. Exploring the ancient dungeons of Malta brings the realization that we can create our own “dungeons of self” where we hold ourselves back from trying something new, such as going on that interview for a major career shift or taking that class. So much of the knowledge gleaned from travel can widen your viewpoints on so many things. A trip away from your desk can birth ideas that lend themselves to expanded awareness and growth.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of the places I visited and the lessons I took away that relate to the New Work World.
Slovenia: The dragon holds much significance. It is depicted on the Dragon Bridge and on top of the castle tower on the capital, Ljubljana’s, coat of arms. The Ljubljana dragon may have its origins in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. It symbolizes strength, courage and might. During these post-pandemic times, with so many changes in the New Work World, we all need to develop courage and strength to face them.
Dubrovnik, Croatia: Despite the magnificent 13th-century walls that surround the city, Dubrovnik is one of the most welcoming destinations in all of Europe. Dubbed “the pearl of the Adriatic” by the poet Lord Bryon, this city exudes romantic charm and beautiful scenery with its shimmering marble streets, centuries-old buildings and awesome bridges, not to mention it is the home of the famous “Game of Thrones” series, a show known for exciting twists. The past few years have handed us exciting and not-so-exciting twists in our personal and professional lives, whether working from home, dealing with back-to-work or hybrid work experiences or perhaps being a part of a downsizing. Through it all, most of us moved on, having had time to reflect and hopefully grow.
Kotor, Montenegro: This old town has been on a list of protected cultural heritage since 1979. Kotor dates back to before Homer, the Greek poet, and today it still exudes the spirit of antiquity. When visiting the St. Tryphon Cathedral, which was built in 1166, we were told if we touched a special panel on the huge antique door it would grant special wishes and good luck. I smiled to myself when I touched the panel, thinking that we make our own luck by the choices we make, the hard work we do and the good habits we perform on a daily basis.
Messina, Italy: The harbor city in northeast Sicily, separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina, is known for the Cathedral of Messina, with its Gothic portal, 15th-century windows and an astronomical clock on the bell tower. The bell tower activates at noon every day with a 15-minute carillon show. The show was truly amazing as it depicted characters that demonstrated family and togetherness. More and more these days, employers are trying to create a great family of workers. People seem happier coming to work, and consequently the tenure of employees is longer. I was surprised to see such a huge group gathered to watch the show, but it reflected aspects of being that were so relatable to all.
Cannes, France: Since 1946 this city in the French Riviera has served as a seat of recognition of artistic achievement. The famous film festival came to provide a place for those interested in the art and influence of the movies. It became an international marketplace where producers and distributors could exchange ideas, view films and sign contracts. Cannes reminds us how artistic creativity is so popular in our lives. Creativity in the workplace takes many forms. Whether it be coming up with ideas that streamline processes and procedures, the ingenuity behind AI to improve efficiency with repetitive, mundane tasks or seeking out creative solutions to complex problems that affect the bottom line, employers are now, more than ever, seeking out employees who demonstrate creativity.
Just like that new employee who joins a team of seasoned workers, I reveled in meeting so many new people from all over the world who shared ideas, travel experiences and family stories that made the trip even more enjoyable. I met people on this cruise who will be lifelong friends. Travel can provide lessons for the New Work World – and allowed me to come back with more to share with that new client or candidate who is allowing me to assist them in their employment journey!
Mary Ann Faremouth
Mary Ann holds a CPC (Certified Personnel Consultant) credential, was certified by the Board of Regents of the National Association of Personnel Consultants in Washington, D.C., and was awarded an Advanced Communicator Bronze, Advanced Leader Bronze Awards by Toastmasters. She cofounded Jobs: Houston magazine in 1997. Mary Ann maintains affiliations with professional organizations, including oil and gas, financial, construction, IT, and structural, mechanical, and civil engineering. (www.faremouth.com)
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. Her books support individuals and corporations, tap into each candidate’s unrealized potential to find the right person for each job, maximizing both employee satisfaction and the employer’s bottom line. Mary Ann showcases her expertise of the recruiting world on a monthly podcast for The Price of Business and weekly articles for USA Business. Her new workbook, Revolutionary Reinvention, was recently released on Amazon. Mary Ann lives in Houston, Texas.
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