This summer my brother plans to backpack around the United States. I didn’t want him to get lost so I got him a US printable map. I also got him several maps of Texas and a couple of maps of California. He told me that he plans on spending several weeks in Austin and a few weeks in San Francisco.

I told him that he should drive around the US and follow route 66. That way he would not have to hitch-hike and he could see more of the country. It’s a historic route that starts in Chicago and end in California.

There are classic grills and a lot of specialty shops that cater to the route 66 crowd. I told him that not only would he get to see a ton of the country, it’s historical too. He told me that he would consider it if he could stop in Austin.

I needed a corporate team building program to help keep my employees on the right track. This recession has them scared and frankly, I don’t blame them. One way to ensure that you keep your job during times like this is by updating your training. I enrolled all of my people in organizational development programs and leadership training.

It was hard to have a third of the office out at a time but we managed. I told of them to display their new skills without being obnoxious. I knew this would be difficult for a few of them but I wanted them to know that I and my colleagues would be watching them.

This training turned out to be great. I really saw my employees’ skills on display and it showed through to everything. Our customers loved it and sales increased. I think I’ll continue to have training for my team even when the market is good.