Podcasts for Executive Travel

With all the travel involved in business, moments of inevitable downtime are essentially a dime a dozen. Whether you’re cruising at 32,000 feet or looking out the window of your limousine on your way to give a presentation, there are a handful of moments where you’ll find yourself looking to fill the quiet time. What can you do during these in-between moments? You can purchase a magazine, buy a book at the airport, browse websites—or you can download a podcast for free. Podcasts, in addition to being a nice change up on normal “down-time” stimulations, can also be educational, entertaining, and an unconventional way to conduct or improve business.  These podcasts are especially worth the download 1.) Manager Tools While managing can be an incredibly demanding hat to wear, this podcast offers some helpful advice. As the Manager Tools website states, “If you’re tired of a lot of management ‘theory’ and would rather learn specific actions you can take TODAY, we think you’ll enjoy the Manager Tools podcast.” The podcast’s discussions cover a wide breadth of subjects, from managing difficult or poorly performing employees to being able to balance your home and your work life with ease. 2.) Get-It-Done Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More This podcast, hosted by a Harvard Business School Graducate named Stever Robbins, spans several time-management and interpersonal business topics such as tips on avoiding procrastination, and more effectively organizing your personal calendar. Robbins also offers advice to parents on issues concerning their children, such as improving study time and paying attention in class. 3.) NPR: Planet Money NPR is renowned for offering a uniquely intelligent view of the world and its politics. This particular NPR podcast is certainly no exception, offering insight from “high rollers, brainy economists, and regular folks” on such titles as “Why Preschool Can Save the World,” and “What Two Pasta Factories Tell Us About the Italian Economy.” How’s that for intriguing? 4.) The EntreLeadership Podcast A podcast begun by financial expert Dave Ramsey, this series focuses on business, team building and leadership. It features interviews with top business experts like Tony Hsieh and Simon Sinek, and past topics have included a variety of business insight such as servant leadership and positional vs. persuasive power, risk-taking, and personal mission statements. 5.) The Public Speaker’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Improving Your Communication Skills Public speaking, while an essential skill for businesspeople, can create incredible anxiety and effect work performance. In this podcast, communication specialist Lisa B. Marshall teaches listeners how to speak in a variety of climates and atmospheres, whether it be board presentations, pay raise negotiations, or guest speaking spotlights. (It’s also on the same site as Get-It-Done Guy’s podcast–so not only do you get two helpful podcasts on one sight, you know that self-help is this website’s bag). 6.) Harvard Business Review IdeaCast As the name suggests, this weekly podcast offers ideas from various business and management professionals, while also providing some context for larger issues within the business world, and incorporates various titles such as “China and India Are an Opportunity, Not a Threat,” and “The Power of the Introvert in Your Office.” 7.) Marketplace Podcasts Marketplace is a daily money news podcast that focuses on the financial implications of current events. But Marketplace is only a part of a family of podcasts that focus on various economic topics. If you have an insatiable hunger for financial news, Marketplace’s brother podcasts include Money, a personal finance advice program, news podcasts Marketplace Morning Report and Marketplace Mid-day Update, and the gadget-centered Marketplace Tech Report.