Well, I’m on my way back from Toronto now. Like a clueless traveler, I didn’t know that I had to pass through Customs before boarding my flight. I assumed that I’d head through customs at RDU airport, as I do when I fly back from London. The mistake almost cost me my seat. I was walking up to the gate at “final boarding call.”
The CEO sent an email yesterday that suggested the sales engineer team make frequent trips in order to help close whatever deals we can help close. He suggested a one-a-week frequency. While I’m fine making a trip like this one every two weeks or so, I’m not sure I’m up for doing them more often than that.
And yet as I type this, I have to admit that I do enjoy the travel. I suppose I get as much from being in front of our resellers and customers as they do. I am enjoy learning how to quickly win friends. I can already tell its a salesman’s secret weapon. At one point in yesterday’s training, a crack was made about salespeople. Jeff and I were jokingly asked if we were salespeople, at which point Jeff singled me out as the sales guy. While everyone was chuckling over this, Herb pointed at me and said “see, I could tell! Just look at the way he smiles!” I laughed at the time, but as I think back it seems to be a fantastic compliment. I have finally broken free from Server Room Hell, becoming a talented, technical showman.
The word on the street is that my manager holds the key to the company’s success. That’s comforting to know from the standpoint that what I’m doing is that valuable. It also raises the bar as far as the kind of committment I need to put forth in doing my job. I don’t consider myself a slacker by any stretch (well, sometimes, perhaps), but I can really turn some heads at this point with a little extra effort. I’m at the point in my employment where the “honeymoon” is over and folks are beginning to solidify their impression of me. Now I just need to step up.
Speaking of stepping up, the opening game of N.C. State football is this weekend. MY buddy Scott has graciously offered me his season tickets for the game. I was hoping to bring Kelly and Hallie to the game, but Kelly and I decided that Hallie wouldn’t really enjoy sitting on our laps on a crowded metal bench with thousands of mad, screaming fans around us. Makes sense to me. Plus, we don’t have an appropriate Wolfpack cheerleader outfit for her.
Yesterday’s talk with Herb the Political Canadian really energized me about democracy and the political process. It was nice to find someone who had views similar to mine. EVen better, it was nice to debate the issues with such an informed person when our views differed. At the end of the discussion we were all still smiling. Nice.
I’ve come to subscribe to the belief that you never return from a trip the same person. Though this trip was a short one, that belief holds true. Everytime you leave your day-to-day cushy environment and step into new territory, you’re going to grow. It can’t be helped. Here’s to more growth.