How to Survive a Business Trip with Your Boss

Going on a trip can be fun, but going on a trip with your boss is another story. If in the office you cannot wait for the day to be over so you can stay away form your boss, during trips you would most likely have just each other. Instead of feeling stuck and sad over the situation, take advantage of it and find ways to shine. How? Here are some tips:

• Have a checklist of everything you need to bring. On your way to the airport, make sure that all your presentations, files and required papers are packed. In the hotel before you leave for a conference or a meeting, double check your stuff and make sure that you don’t leave anything behind. You don’t want to embarrass your boss in international shores. Moreover, you don’t want to be corrected in international shores.
• Before the trip, talk with your boss about your responsibilities. It is best to be clear about who is responsible for hotel and flight bookings, as well as for other official tasks such as creating presentations and getting in touch with the contacts in the country you are visiting.

• Have meaningful conversations with your boss. You will most likely be spending a lot of quiet times beside each other. Humor your boss by asking for his advice. You might be surprised at how much he is wiling to share to you. Just take all the information and wisdom in, and by the time that you get back to the office, you’d have a whole list of wise snippets you can apply to your career, care of your boss.
• Show off. Your boss will have his attention on you and only on you. Better make the most out of it by giving your best in all the things that you do. Up the ante by doing something more than what he asks for, such as following up on a client or researching answers to some questions that the both of you might have.
• Minimize your time in social networking sites. As much as possible, your mind should be on your goal – impressing your boss and helping him create a good impression on your clients and other contacts you will meet.
• Watch what you eat. Although it’s tough to pass up on trying out authentic international cuisine, you have to mind your digestion. You don’t want to be stuck in the hotel room while everybody else makes up for the things that you cannot do. If you are responsible for the accounting jobs while you’re on trip, make sure that you can fulfill your obligations no matter what.
• Pack safe clothes. Especially if you are going to a country that is relatively more conservative. You do not want to be distracting, worse, offending to anybody. Do it for yourself more than for your company.