Have you ever broken your foot in three places three days into a 70-day road trip? I have. And that was just the beginning of our Newfoundland Airstream adventure. Picture this: 1,400 miles to go before the Newfoundland caravan even started, a rapidly swelling foot, and the daunting task of finding an orthopedic surgeon in…well, pretty much any of the eight states we were driving through to get to our caravan meet-up point in Nova Scotia. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Yet, despite the broken bones, spotty cell service, potholes (our bumper sticker said, “I am not drunk, I am just avoiding potholes”), temperamental weather (SW Newfoundland has the most powerful winds in the world called Wreckhouse Winds!), and a host of other challenges, it turned out to be one of the best experiences of our lives.
How? That’s what I want to share with you – three simple rules of the road, learned from our Airstream adventures, that can transform how organizations navigate their own unpredictable journeys and help them achieve remarkable success. Because just like a business, our Airstream trips require strategy, adaptability and a little bit of grit.
Developing a Strategy and Making Trade-Offs
Just like an organization, we have a simple strategy for Airstreaming. For us, we win by experiencing unique adventures. Unique adventures include:
- Making new friends
- Having new experiences
- Learning new things
- Helping others with whatever expertise we can share. Typically, it is my husband who is helping others fix their Airstream technical issues.
We have also made trade-offs. These are often missing in business strategy documents. Our trade-offs are:
- Space – we are living in a much smaller area with limited storage
- Being digitally connected all the time
- Always being around the familiar
Our strategy of “experiencing unique adventures” sets our course for being on the road and is executed through three rules of the road.
Rule of the Road #1: Go With the Flow
The first rule of the road is that there is never a straight line, so go with the flow. When a hurricane headed our way, our camping plans had to change quickly. When one of our children became ill during a long-awaited anniversary trip through the Blue Ridge, we had to turn around and head back home. When I broke my foot on day three of a 70-day journey through Newfoundland, Canada, we had to quickly pivot and figure out how to still achieve our strategy. For any business, there are always environmental challenges that you cannot predict, and agility is key to not letting the unpredictable rattle your organization or your adventure.
Rule of the Road #2: Control What You Can
The second rule of the road is to control those things you can control. For a business, this is a business operating system. For Airstreaming, the following operating system elements have been essential to executing our strategy.
Standard Work Processes
Our standard work is absolutely critical. We have heard all the horror stories of other Airstreamers rolling down the road with their electric cord trailing behind, losing their awning during a storm, or forgetting to put the chocks on and the trailer rolling down a hill. Fortunately, we have not had any of those experiences, but we have left our blocks behind and drove over our chocks – both times, we were not following our standard processes. We have documented our departure and arrival checklist. No matter how often we have done this, we always use our checklist. We also have our standard lists for packing to ensure we don’t forget any critical items.
Some clients expound that standard processes hinder innovation and agility, but we disagree. First, you can continually improve your standard processes. Second, standardizing the necessary makes head space for the resourcefulness and agility you need in times of unpredictability or opportunity.
Early Warning Systems
We have implemented early warning systems to help us identify risks and emerging issues. Our trailer tires send us notifications when low to avoid blowouts, and our truck notifies us if we have been driving too long. We have several measurement systems that keep us in line.
Plan B’s and C’s
We are always set up to execute our Plan B or C. There are two that have been important for our sanity. First, there will be no drama if we miss a turn. We remind ourselves that we can always turn around. We don’t make any sudden moves or reactions that could cause an accident. Instead, we find a safe place to turn and try again. In business, when you react without thinking, mistakes are made.
The second is boondocking. Boondocking is camping without hookups, such as water or electricity. We always ensure our solar panels are charged and we have some fresh water in our tanks. Think of it as a business continuity plan. With that, we can pull over and camp anywhere, and this has definitely contributed to our unique adventures. We have had the joy of camping on a dairy farm, on a beach, at a winery and a brewery.
We have also been able to moochdock. Moochdocking is where you camp at friends’ or family’s homes and hook up using their electrical. We have moochdocked at Mom & Dad’s, our cousins, and with new Airstream friends.
Pack Light, Travel Far
Efficiency is mandatory when Airstreaming. We optimize our resources and can achieve more with less. In fact, clutter creates confusion (like when we cannot find the wrench we need at the moment we need it), producing waste (time, money, energy). Sound familiar?
Stay Streamlined
We are continually purging and re-organizing to ensure only the absolute necessary is in our rig. At AlignOrg, we have principles around continuous alignment and alignment leadership. Just like in an organization, you must continually assess all elements and align and re-align your levers (what work you do and how you do it, your structure and governance, what you measure, who you hire, develop, and reward, and your culture). In the Airstream, our levers are what we pack, how many dogs we take with us, how many hookup points we plan, etc.
Embrace the Community
Airstreaming, like business, isn’t a solo endeavor. You must embrace the collective’s wisdom (your employees, suppliers, and partners). For us, fellow Airstreamers and all RVers are a wonderful source of diverse knowledge, experiences and perspectives. When our solar panels weren’t working, my husband sent a short note to our fellow campers, and suddenly, there were 10 guys with ladders, tools, and advice eager to help. Like in business, we all benefit from collaboration, mentorship, and networking. We have found lasting friendships that, wherever we are, we know will provide support during tough times, offer new opportunities, and make the journey more enjoyable.
Rule of the Road #3: Take Time to Celebrate
The third rule of the road is to celebrate with simple rewards! It can be a high-five when we finish our departure checklist in record time (you should see our ‘pit crew’ in action) or enjoying an amazing experience like hiking the cliffs to see the puffins!
Just as every Airstream adventure comes with its share of unexpected detours and challenges, so too does the journey of building a thriving organization. By embracing the unpredictable, implementing robust operating systems, and celebrating even the smallest victories, we can navigate the twists and turns of business with the same spirit of adventure, ultimately reaching our destination of sustainable success and creating unforgettable experiences along the way.
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and the stars in your eyes…see if you can find out what’s over the next hill and the next one after that.”
-Wally Byam, Airstream Founder
