Wait, how did this business trip turn into a family trip?

Big business trip coming up in Europe.

Quite a bit is riding on this conference. Potential new clients, enhancing relationships of current ones and overall opportunities for you and your company.  Not to mention the pressure of the cost and time away from your desk.  Need to make this count.

At a simple dinner with your family and the topic of the trip comes up.

“Can we come?”

In mid-bite, you stop and think “Did my 6 year-old just ask to come to Paris?”

As you chew and ruminate, you look around the table and your 9 year-old is staring at you and your spouse is trying hard not to make eye contact.  Something is afoot, Holmes.

Inside your head explodes.  This conference is massive for me and the firm.  I cannot have any distractions. How in the world can I juggle prep, meetings, follow ups and anything impromptu that surfaces while also climbing up the Eiffel Tower and shuffling through the Louvre?

Can’t you guys see how important this is for me?

Here is the thing – they can.

They want to experience it with you. 

Been through this a few times in my house so this is not conjecture.  Have had these exact conversations.  The first instance for me took a bit to accept.  I was thinking it through one night while at a community event. A guy there with older kids asked what was on my mind.  I told him and he smiled.  He said “Listen.  Taking them will be the best thing you can do.  Took mine for a month to London on a project and it changed the way they view travel and the world. Just take them.”

I was so sure this was going to be a mistake.  Was I taking advantage of my firm? Figured it was best to tell that they were coming.  Since we were paying for all of our own expenses, no one cared.  Made it clear I was business first until the conference ended.

So they all came.  Now, my son cannot wait to hit the airport. Will literally go anywhere in the world. The ironic part was, it did not affect the conference at all.  Had great meetings, secured business and they never distracted me.  Ironically, it became a talking point.  Found out some of my clients had done the same thing and gave me all types of tips and places to go.  Met up with my crew afterwards for several days of sightseeing and had the vacation of our lives. Together.

Some basic ground rules that may be helpful:

• Set some boundaries early.  
• I recommend staying in a separate hotel if possible until your business is complete.  
• Trust your spouse.  They can manage without you.  
• It is up to you on how much contact you would like to make.  Mine was emergencies only. Worked out well although they did take the wrong train to Versailles and were lost for a couple of hours.
• Lastly, make a clean break from business and go into family mode for the remainder of the visit. 

Here is one I forgot:

• Make it clear that they are not going on every business trip….

Leave a note or story about mixing business travel with family travel.

All the best

Matt