As the summer comes to an end and kids go back to school, it gives us all a chance to reset and reevaluate our personal space and our work space. The go-go mentality of summer fun is gone and it’s back to work. Although, if you think about it, it’s unlikely any of us slowed down over the past few months. Client bookings seem to be stretching further out as the consumer confidence index is strong right into the foreseeable future.

So, as usual, we are all working hard, but are we working smarter? Are we working so hard that we are not looking at the future? I always appreciate the person who asks, “How am I doing?” Most of people are afraid to ask that question because they don’t want to hear the answer. I suggest you ask yourselves that question. Use it for self-evaluation, but also to adjust your business strategies going forward. In fact, I am officially making September the month to ask, “How am I doing?” Ask clients, ask co-workers, ask travel suppliers, and yes, don’t forget to ask your loved ones. If you get that one-word answer — “Great” — and nothing else, you know you have work to do.

I’m shown here at Virtuoso Travel Week with Niall Rochford, general manager of Ashford Castle in Galway, Ireland. Speaking about, “How am I doing?”, Niall is smiling because Ashford Castle won the coveted “Hotel of the Year” award at Virtuoso’s Best of the Best gala last month. The hotel just underwent an amazing transformation under the caring hands of its new owners, Red Carnation Hotels. Congratulations to Niall and all our friends at Ashford Castle!