If you picked up our latest mag, you might’ve noticed a little segment featuring big wig Steve Odell, where he imparted some well-earned knowledge with Travel Weekly.
We quizzed Odell, CLIA Australasia Chairman and Norwegian Cruise Lines Senior Vice President and Managing Director Asia Pacific, on the five biggest lessons he’s learned working in the travel industry.
From engaging with your industry rather than ignoring it, to having a work/life balance and strong values, Odell certainly has learned a lot. Readers, take not.
1. Engage with your broader industry and share that knowledge
Being involved in your industry beyond a purely corporate capacity, for me through engagement with bodies such as the CLIA,
is extremely helpful to your overall understanding of the sector in which you operate.
2. Having a positive work and life balance is incredibly important
Nobody can operate effectively running full tilt 24/7, either at work or at home.
For me this means keeping an eye on my diet, finding time to exercise, making time to spend with my partner and committing to one designated ‘down day’ each weekend – an increasingly hard thing to do in this era of mobile technology.
3. Your principles and core values define you – and they don’t need to be complex
Respect everyone you deal with and you’ll earn their trust in return; do what you say you’ll do; and motivate others by being
an engaged leader.
4. People are everything
Nurture equally positive, professional relationships with employees, managers, colleagues, travel agent partners and customers.
5. Make the effort to understand other cultures
I find it’s extremely valuable and just old-fashioned good manners to do my research before meetings with overseas counterparts. By taking the time to find out about local customs and the current political and economic issues at play
in foreign markets you’ll be showing respect, and you’ll earn it in return.
