Return to Costa Rica—An Old Favorite Made New
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: January 2011
Costa Rica is one of my favorite travel destinations. Our travelers enjoy it, too. In fact, our two OAT adventures in this tiny Central American nation continue to be extremely popular. But we haven’t offered a Costa Rica itinerary for our Grand Circle travelers for a few years now. And that’s about to change.
Because I’m thrilled to let you know that—after many requests from Grand Circle travelers—we’re re-launching one of Grand Circle’s most popular Central American vacations: Our Costa Rican Treasures: Coast to Coast Escorted Tour is back (along with a few other returning favorites—more on that next month!), and our 2011 itinerary is better than ever!
Grand Circle Leaders Return from Turkey
—Just in Time for Turkey
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: December 2010
Last month I wrote an entry about the qualities that set Grand Circle apart from other travel companies. One of the things I talked about was LEAD, a program we recently implemented to improve both our trips and the leadership qualities of our associates.
The goals of the LEAD program, I said, were to develop our high-performing associates in leadership positions or who show strong leadership potential; to develop open and courageous communication, risk-taking, and teamwork; to listen to our travelers, and make recommendations for improving our service to them. I also mentioned how a group of these associates had just embarked on one of our OAT trips, Turkey’s Magical Hideaways.
Learning to Lead:
How We Challenge Our Associates & Help Them Grow
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: November 2010
One of the qualities that sets Grand Circle apart from other travel companies is that we stay nimble in times of difficulty. We have quick reflexes. Another advantage is that we listen to our travelers and act on their criticism and suggestions.
These traits aren’t just lucky coincidences—they are qualities that we train for. From the time Harriet and I started Grand Circle, I’ve been aggressively helping our associates develop the skills they need to lead from anywhere in the company. We do this in many ways throughout the year. I’d like to tell you a bit about two recent company activities designed to improve our trips and our people: PTTs and LEADS.
Introducing our new video, Building a Culture, The Grand Circle Leadership Story
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: October 2010
I’m proud of all of the videos we’ve produced and made available on our website. I think they’re invaluable guides in helping our travelers envision the breadth of travel destinations we offer through our OAT and Grand Circle companies. But this one is special. Building a Culture—a new video I have the pleasure of introducing now—isn’t about one of our travel destinations. It’s the story of Grand Circle itself.
Building a Culture encompasses all the elements—the core values, leadership principles, and unique corporate culture—that allowed us to grow into the best, and one of the biggest, travel companies in the world.
Author, Author: A party to celebrate the launch of Driving With No Brakes
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: October 2010
On Tuesday evening, September 14, Harriet and I got a little taste of the “literary life.” We were delighted to host a party celebrating the release of our new book, Driving With No Brakes—How a bunch of hooligans built the best travel company in the world.
The affair was held at “Harriet’s Corner”—a new space in our Boston headquarters where we host special events. Music, cocktails, and floral arrangements added to the glamour of the occasion, and it proved to be the perfect venue for the many guests in attendance—business leaders, the local press, and many of our longtime associates.
Welcome to “On the Road with Alan”
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: September 2010
You’re probably saying to yourself: “On the Road with Alan?"— what’s this?!
Well, it’s a place where I plan to share my thoughts with travelers like you, and anyone else who cares to read them. It will feature some of my musings and memories on world travel, including a few of my favorite travel experiences over the years. But it will be a lot more than that.
I also envision “On the Road” to be a forum where I can share my views on leadership—both in an organizational sense and with regard to personal growth and development. I work closely with so many business and community leaders, youth organizations, and budding entrepreneurs—both in Boston and around the world—that I felt others might wish to benefit from the many business and life lessons I’ve picked up along the way. I also plan to shed some light on how community service and "giving back to the world" is not only the right thing to do, but makes sense from a business perspective, too.
Chairmen from different worlds:
Leadership in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: September 2010
In January of 2001, Harriet and I set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It was Harriet’s idea, really. She had been feeling kind of stuck that year, in need of an adventure. Ever since we went to Nepal together in 1988, Harriet has said that fresh air, hard exercise, and open spaces are good for her. Something about the difficulty breathing actually opens up her mind and body. She gets a powerful clarity. So she started training like a maniac, and off we went.
At the last minute, Harriet got sick and we had to change our plans. After Harriet felt better, we picked up our old friend and partner Willy Chambulo, owner of Kibo Guides, who arranged for us to camp at a Maasai village called Sinya. It was market day, and people were converging on the village from all directions—just streams of people dressed in the red cloth of the Maasai, coming to market with sugar and trinkets, their spears rattling and their jewelry tinkling.