We just returned from a memorable three-week family trip through Berlin, Venice and Verona — a special celebration of my wife’s 60th birthday and the rare gift of having all three of our grown kids together in one place.
The food was fantastic, the sights unforgettable — but what surprised me most were the leadership lessons that surfaced along the way.
Here are three takeaways I’m bringing home with me, straight from the road:
1. If you can’t step away, you don’t own a business — you own a job
The first insight came early — on the runway at JFK, to be exact.
As we lifted off, I had a moment of peace. I wasn’t worried about what would happen back at the office. That’s when it struck me: If your business can’t operate without you for a few weeks — or even one payroll cycle — it’s not really a business. It’s a job you built around yourself.
Creating an autonomous business doesn’t happen by chance. It requires a clear vision for how things should function in your absence and a willingness to evolve your role into one that supports the business without constraining it.
So here’s a heartfelt shoutout to my incredible team at Jeffrey Scott Consulting — thank you for keeping the wheels turning smoothly while we were away.
Consider this:
How long could you walk away from your business and trust it would not only survive, but thrive?
2. Venice reminded me that depth requires stillness
Venice doesn’t invite speed; it demands presence.
Cars don’t exist. Streets twist and wander. The beauty isn’t something you blaze through; it’s something you absorb.
We gave ourselves five days there. In that time we:
- Took Italian lessons
- Explored the outer islands by boat
- Visited the Doge’s Palace and the Jewish Ghetto
- Took a cooking class (and ate the results)
- And carved out quiet time at the beach
But the real highlight? Slowing down long enough to reconnect with our kids as adults — long dinners, candid conversations, shared memories.
You don’t get that on a tight schedule, and you don’t get that in business unless you intentionally carve out space to truly know your team.
A recent example comes to mind:
Marcus Kerske, co-owner of Gardens of Babylon and longtime peer group member, recently shared that he’s shifting more of his time toward deepening relationships inside his business. That’s no small pivot, especially for someone who built his success on systems and financial discipline.
But he knows that relationships are the next layer of scale.
Ask yourself:
When was the last time you created space just to understand your people better—beyond their job titles and performance goals?
3. Leave room for the unexpected and watch what emerges
Yes, we planned plenty in advance, but we also left gaps. And it’s in those gaps that the magic happened.
Our kids (23, 26 and 36) filled the space with ideas of their own. From spontaneous bike rides to family-made dinners in our Verona rooftop apartment, it was the unstructured time that created some of our most cherished memories.
Here’s the leadership parallel:
Curiosity thrives in open space. If your team is expected only to execute your ideas, they’ll never surprise you. But if you leave room for their creativity and input, you open doors to innovation.
To lead well today means:
- Leaving space for others to lead
- Being open to options you didn’t originate
- Making curiosity a core habit for yourself and your team
Challenge yourself:
Are you building enough “white space” into your culture for new thinking to show up?
Final thought: Shared experiences build enduring value
Whether with your team or your family, growth is often sparked by meaningful shared experiences. They build trust, foster alignment and expand what each person believes is possible. Sometimes you need to stretch yourself to make those moments happen.
For example, my wife and I don’t usually stay out late, but we pushed ourselves to attend the open-air opera in the ancient Verona Arena — imagine a Roman coliseum under the stars. It was magical. Even our kids (not opera fans!) loved it.
That night wasn’t about opera; it was about being open to wonder.
So here’s your challenge:
What experience can you create next — not just to check a box, but to expand what’s possible for your people?
The world is wide open. Go make the most of it.
