Openness Means Changing Your Perspective

In the past 12 months, I’ve had the chance to travel to India two times for business, each trip leaving me with a deeper appreciation for the country.

The India Gate, New Delhi

First, I explored the vibrant metropolis of New Delhi, India’s capital, a city buzzing with energy and history. Then I continued northeast to Assam, around Dibrugarh, with its vast and vibrant tea gardens, calm, green, and unlike anywhere I had been before. And this year, I traveled to dynamic Pune, a city full of innovation and drive.

In India, elephants symbolize strength and tradition

Each visit has given me a different lens on India. Each has also reminded me how much perspective shapes what we see, what we value, and how we lead.

So for my latest trip to Asia, I challenged myself: Could I even approach the journey differently?

Trading Frankfurt for New Delhi, flying Air India this time instead of Lufthansa

Normally, my colleagues and I default to Lufthansa. It offers a solid, reliable, connecting through Germany. But that route starting in Vienna always means flying west first, before turning east again. It’s the “safe” and known option, but not always the fastest.

On my way to DEL - the cabin felt a bit dated, but the service was excellent

This time, with my new openness toward India, I tried something else: an Air India connection through Delhi. The result? A quicker, smoother trip, and a reminder that the journey itself can become part of the learning. Instead of being just transit time, the flight turned into an enriching cultural experience: a chance to listen, observe, and continue immersing myself in the Indian culture that I’ve come to cherish.

The food was exquisite, easily in the top 3 airline meals I've ever had!

In leadership as in travel, it’s easy to stick with the familiar. But progress often comes when we’re willing to challenge assumptions, explore new options, and see the world from a different angle.

The takeaway: Sometimes a small change—choosing a different route, trying an unfamiliar airline, seeing the in-between as more than just “getting there”—opens up new perspectives. It’s a reminder that leadership benefits from openness. When we stay curious and flexible, we discover that the path itself can teach us as much as the destination.

Cruising over India

Because openness isn’t only about where we go. It’s also about how we choose to get there.