On my first flight to France, I sat next to a young woman from Chicago who had been living in Paris for three years. I told her we'd be doing some driving throughout the country and asked for her advice.  
 
"Don't try to match the road numbers on your map with the road numbers you see on the highway," she said. "Find the place you want to go on your map. Then identify the towns along the way to your final destination. When you get to a roundabout, follow the direction on the roundabout sign."
 
Being a little on the obsessive compulsive side, I was dubious. But it worked like a charm. 
 
I just returned from my third trip to France and her great advice has never failed. (Well, I did drive in circles for a while one night in Frejus, but that's a long story...) 
 
Each roundabout has four options. You can go right, straight, left, or make a complete circle and go back in the direction you just came from. As long as we knew our desired destination, when we came to a "fork in the road" - a decision point - we always knew which choice to make.
 
I loved that little feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment I got as we would approach the roundabout and see the name of the town we were headed toward on the roundabout signs. Yeah!  We're going in the right direction! 
 
It was like having little mini celebrations sprinkled throughout the trip. 
 
What a great system!  
 
Wouldn't "traveling the roads" of business be easier if you used the same system? If knew where you wanted to go? If you knew your targets along the way? 
 
Imagine how much easier it would be for your employees if they knew where you were headed and knew the little benchmarks along the way. How might that help you and your employees make decisions, if, when you get to a decision point, you knew which direction to go? 
 
And think about that sweet feeling of accomplishment - the little mini celebrations you can have along the way when you reach the milestones on the journey. How good would that feel? What wonderful motivation that provides for everyone.  
 
What's the business equivalent of roundabouts?

I hope your business travels are filled with little celebrations of accomplishments along the journey. Visiting a few lavender fields, wineries and medieval castles makes the trip even better!