Did you know that you can also be a leader in traffic when you are behind the driving wheel?
I want to share with you my story about how I become a leader while driving. How can we experience personal leadership while we are driving.
I live in a city that has a lot of traffic jams where people are in a hurry and are angry without patience. There is even a joke about this:
“One millisecond is the time between the appearance of green color at traffic lights and the horn honks behind you.”
To understand how people are driving in this city, here are some examples.
When it rains, people drive. When is snows, people drive. When the kindergartens or schools begin, people drive.
And I used to look at people in the cars while in traffic jam. There was mainly one person in each car. Even in mine. And soon I become angrier and impatient and late. Congestion frustrated me.
But then I realized that this kind of attitude in traffic affected me. If I was in a tail back int he morning, then my whole day was ruined. Other people’s honks irritated me. And so on. You can imagine if you were cut up in a jam.
Let the shift begin!
I wanted to be more relaxed in traffic. And I wanted not to bother me any more people and cars around me. And so I began to think – how can I be more relaxed in traffic?
First of all I try best to be a better driver.
Even though people are saying that women are bad drivers, we all make mistakes. Man do the same mistakes as women and women do the same mistakes as men, do you agree? I also make mistakes and pissed somebody off. But what can I do? That isn’t a reason to be angry and frustrated. This is self improvement as a leader.
Reflect on my driving mistakes is the best thing I can do to improve my driving.
Second, I serve people like any other leader would do.
What does this mean? It means that I let drivers go in front. I want to make a difference in a big sea of people who cut of. I saw drivers who just don’t want to let people go in front of them. And I’ve been there. So I consider in letting people go in front.
I also practice my vision while driving.
This means that I plan ahead, take the better route and I adjust my route as I drive. This way I reduce the time wasted in a congestion. A leader sees the big picture.
I admit my mistakes.
When I am the driver who makes a mistake like cutting of or doesn’t see the car behind, I will admit it. I know people don’t want to admit it, but they know when they are wrong, right? 🙂
In traffic you must understand people.
Like in any other situation, people have different perspectives. This is also true about drivers. Other drivers have a different perspective than yours. When you cut of, I assume they believe you wanted to do that, not that you weren’t paying attention. Or when people don’t let you go in front of them, I assume that they don’t want you to. My perspective changed when I realized what I was really thinking in different situation.
It happened to me a lot not to observe someone who tried to go in front. This doesn’t mean i don’t want to.
I wasn’t paying attention and I didn’t see the car behind me and I kinda cut it of. This doesn’t mean that I deliberate cut that car of. There are different perspective.
With this thoughts in mind, I drive more relaxed.
Now, other drivers honks don’t even bother me any more. Because I know I give my best to be a better driver. I also make mistakes like other drivers and I serve all people in traffic, not just those who drive. Why should I bother if somebody honks me or is angry at me?
I create an environment that is good for driving. I listen to my favorite music, I am feeling really good and no way other people will change than.
When I am a more relaxed driver, I change the context for other drivers. I make a difference. Instead of being angry, yell at somebody, cut of and so on, I am calm and happy while driving.
Now driving is a pleasant thing to do and I influence other drivers to be like wise.
Until next time (or if I meet you in traffic),
Mădălina Ghinescu
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