Can Travel Make You A Better Leader?

Senior female executives reveal how time exploring the globe imbues them with fresh creative energy when they return to the office.

- Frances Hedges

I think curiosity and stubbornness are what drive me,” says Melanie Smith, the CEO of Ocado Retail and one of an elite group of women who have visited every country in the world. “I must have been about 30 when I came up with the idea, and I remember my boyfriend at the time saying, ‘You’re never going to be able to do that.’ So I thought to myself, well, there’s a nice challenge!”

Fifteen years and 197 countries later, in 2019, Smith celebrated the completion of a journey of discovery that has left her with not only numerous stamps in her passport, but also a clearer sense of perspective, an open mind and a willingness to take chances. “I always return from a trip happy, with lots of energy,” she reflects. “Sometimes, I’ll take just a tent, my sleeping bag and some food, and I’ll walk in complete solitude, so I come back fitter and having had a chance to meditate on things. Or I’ll go somewhere I can learn something—my husband and I are offto Iraq this month for a road trip from Baghdad to Basra, because there are so many ancient ruins along the way.” The vast range of geographies and cultures she has explored has changed her leadership style for the better. “I’m from New Zealand, which doesn’t have a lot of cultural diversity, but I lead a business made up of incredibly diverse individuals,” says Smith, who is Maori. “I think my experiences have helped put me in their shoes.”