Stuck in Traffic? 6 Leadership Lessons

One of my favorite work places is in my car. I do a lot of driving, so it’s an excellent time to talk to teammates on the phone, listen to audio books, or just chill and listen to music. I also find humor and insights by observing others’ driving habits and the different mindsets we have under different traffic conditions.

Oh yes, the way we drive relates to leadership! You see, traffic is like business; we’re driving to our destination, and along the way there may be congestion, varying speed limits, and even incompetent drivers we have to watch out for and manage around.

Here are six additional leadership lessons I’ve picked up while driving.

Choose Your Lane Wisely.

I know which lane I should stay in during my commute north each Tuesday morning. This particular lane gets bogged down in one area, but it always smooths out and proves to be the best lane for the long term. I lost my patience one morning and made the short-term decision to switch to a faster lane. I was satisfied with my decision, but only for a while. In the long run it cost me time and caused me anguish. How many times in business do we make a short-term decision in hopes that it will get us to our destination faster? (more…)