Education, community and business

I'm in Air Canada' s Maple Leaf Lounge in Toronto, waiting for a 9:00 pm flight home after a visit to meet the construction technology instructors at Niagara College in Welland, Ontario. The hour here provides a good opportunity to reflect on the day, and the importance of keeping close to the industry's grassroots..
We are publishing a feature about the college in the next issue of Ontario Construction Report. I suppose we could have found a freelancer to write the story -- or perhaps interviewed people by phone -- but there are very real advantages for me to (using cheap plane tickets and an even less expensive rental car) for me to travel and see things first-hand.
My notes including the names of the people at the college are in my bag -- along with Fred Reichheld's "The Ultimate Question" -- so more comprehensive reporting will happen tomorrow. Now, for a break, I will muse, reflect, and appreciate some key points.

• Great things happen when decline to follow the crowd; when you respect and listen to your heart;
• You need to get out in the world -- the world of your real clients, suppliers, colleagues, and (though I don't really like this word) -- subordinates. You cannot truly understand your environment unless you are part of it
• Good books are like gold -- especially when you are in airplanes and cannot open your laptop to the Internet.
• Travel, brief travel that is, creates opportunities for inspiration. (Excessive travel is not compatible with family life.)

More tomorrow -- but some hints. I flew out on WestJet, used Enterprise to rent my car, and returned on Air Canada. These correlate with Fred Reichheld's book -- especially the rental car experience.