Most urban places are like interiors -- they have incredible amenities. So be comfortable wherever you go. One of the principles in my manifesto is "concentrate everywhere." Another is "write everywhere." And "relax everywhere." You don't need sophisticated tools or offices to do any of those things. All you need is the ability to focus your attention, whether you're on a train, on a plane, or in a lobby.
I also think that people should consume. I don't mean gorge -- I mean take in small amounts of those things that set you at ease. Buy a coffee at a café. Pick up a magazine. Buy a pack of chewing gum. Make a telephone call. Consumption isn't bad -- it's normal. We live in a consumer society, and we need to consume in order to interact. Use the services around you when you travel. There are plenty of small comforts you can get with money, so do so.
What is the one thing you really need with you at all times, particularly in generic spaces such as airports and hotels? Your identity. Identity is deeply rooted in culture, and one of the most enduring artifacts of culture is a sense of humor. It's like regional spices in food. You can speak English, French, or German; you can dress casually or formally; you can speak about the Internet, plastic, or plants. But in the end, the quality that makes you different is your sense of humor and your perspective.
If we were nothing but machines for doing business, we wouldn't need a cultural identity. But I think identity and humor give us an advantage in business and life, and benefit us by enabling a give-and-take that transcends the transfer of information.
If you're truly nomadic, you have to have some form of home. Your original home is where you come from, how you were educated, the culture in which you were raised: It's your identity. When you meet someone for the first time, one of the first questions you ask is, "Where do you come from?" If you have no home base, you reply with your cultural identity. You say, "I grew up in Barcelona." Your identity is the home you keep with you at all times, and it is private and unique to you.
Speak with people casually when you travel. Don't be so focused on work that you fail to absorb other information that is equally important. Remember, in the end, the reason that you're traveling is to gain firsthand knowledge, to experience being there. You're traveling in order to bring another reality closer to you, and to share your reality with others.
Also, flirt when you travel. I'm not talking about the kind of flirting that involves physical attraction. I'm talking about playful human banter, the enjoyment of talking with a person in a more intimate and relaxed way. Objects can flirt too, you know. They can communicate playfully and intimately with you.
When I arrive in a place where I'm going to do business, I always make a point of chatting with strangers. Casual information about a place is incredibly valuable. If you understand a culture, you can break the ice in conversation, make a joke, or construct a speech better. Your negotiations turn out better, because you know the character of the people with whom you are doing business. The better you know a place, the more easily you can do business there -- and the more sophisticated your business relations can be. And the better you know people in general, the better you can navigate the world.
Exchange data with Martí Guixé by email (Marti@Guixe.com), or visit him at his virtual office (www.guixe.com).
Email
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Buzz Up!
LinkedIn
