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Talent Trade Tidbit - How to NOT Get Picked Up Coming Home From a Work Conference
Critical advice, should you find yourself in an unenviable travel situation…
Transcript
This is Stephanie Maas, partner with Thinking Ahead Search Firm.
Speaker:Today I want to talk to you a little actually about Nashville, Tennessee, and this is a message for our visitors.
Speaker:If you ever come to Nashville, I don't know if many of you know, but Nashville has become quite the tourist destination over the last several years, specifically for bachelor and bachelorette parties.
Speaker:Very interesting to be downtown on a Saturday night now.
Speaker:This is also a message for some folks that might be coming on a plane to visit and they are maybe sitting next to somebody who is coming to town for one of those events.
Speaker:And here's some counsel on things that normally work should you not be in the frame of mind where you're looking to get picked up by your seatmate that should help.
Speaker:First of all, I highly recommend dressing appropriately.
Speaker:So, for example, if you're on a plane home from Baltimore and you were just at a bank conference, you're probably dressed very conservatively, a button up shirt, a cardigan, some long pants.
Speaker:Again, this sends a very clear signal that I am not available.
Speaker:I'm not interested in being picked up or hit on.
Speaker:Point number one.
Speaker:Point number two, if you sit down and someone comes to sit in your row and you say, Hey, you're welcome to sit there, but you better be quiet because I'm exhausted.
Speaker:I've been up since four o'clock this morning.
Speaker:I've been at a bank event all day long and all I want to do is sleep again.
Speaker:That sends out usually a very.
Speaker:Clear sign, you are not open for business.
Speaker:Thirdly, as you're waiting, being polite, not talking too much, but as you're waiting for the plane to take off so you can snuggle up and go to sleep, and they offer you a drink, and you say, No, thank you.
Speaker:I don't drink what you just offered.
Speaker:Again, these are signs that usually shut people down.
Speaker:Lastly, when you sleep the entire flight, But then you're stuck on a tarmac for 30 minutes, so you wake up and you continue to banter and it's obvious that your seatmate has been drinking the entire time and they say, hey, why don't you come out with us?
Speaker:And you say, Uh, no, as I mentioned, I'm exhausted.
Speaker:I'm gonna go home to my three kids and husband.
Speaker:Thank you, but no thank you.
Speaker:And they go, aw, I was kind of hoping to see you out this weekend.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And between the football games, the birthday parties.
Speaker:Yeah, I'm sure we'll run into each other.
Speaker:I'm sure.
Speaker:But even after all of that, if they don't get the hint, the last thing I recommend is asking where they're staying.
Speaker:And when you find out that it's two blocks from your house, whatever you do, you do not offer to give them a ride to their house.
Speaker:It's just sound advice, folks.
Speaker:At this point, it should completely shut them down.
Speaker:They should have the message and be on their way to their fun weekend with their guy friends.
Speaker:However, if in case it does not shut them down completely, you know, Hey, I get it.
Speaker:They're in town for a weekend.
Speaker:They're trying out their moves.
Speaker:They've got three or four days ahead of them.
Speaker:Want to see how friendly Nashville really is if it doesn't.
Speaker:And somehow you end up giving them a ride because their Airbnb is literally two blocks from your house.
Speaker:When you pull in and give them some very sound motherly advice.
Speaker:Of, Hey, have fun, but make good choices.
Speaker:And their response is to lean over the console and try and kiss you an appropriate stiff arm is all it'll take, and then shoo 'em along their way Again, I hope this council helps, and to the gentleman who sat next to me on the flight and obviously wasn't picking up on my cues, I wanna say thank you.
Speaker:You've made me feel like I still got it.
