My older daughter just received her driver’s permit in May, so we’ve been doing quite a bit of organic driving practice. Between the reminders to use a turning signal before turning and to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, I’ve realized there are some interesting parallels between learning to drive and learning to lead. Here are four of them.
Promote the passion
My daughter basically wants to drive all the time now. It could literally be driving in and out of the driveway; she doesn’t mind. She’s incredibly passionate about getting experience and wants to be behind the wheel. My wife and I see it as part of our roles to give her that exposure. This doesn’t mean that we let her drive no matter the situation. Rather, it means we look for as many opportunities as we can to let her strategically build her driving experience so she can gain the necessary skill set while still keeping her passion for driving. Cultivating a love of leadership is very similar. When we notice people are passionate about leading, it becomes our responsibility to give them the time and opportunity to lead. Just like with driving, we don’t throw people into the leadership fray without support. Instead, we match their skills with leadership needs and assist them as they go and grow. Ultimately, we want leaders who are passionate about leading. And we can best cultivate that passion when we start early and build experience slowly and strategically.
Solidify the sequence
Some elements of driving a vehicle must occur sequentially. You can’t technically drive the vehicle if it isn’t turned on yet. You can’t back out of a parking space unless you’ve checked to see if there is anything or anyone behind you (I mean, you could take the risk, but that wouldn’t be considered good driving practice). Teaching my daughter these steps isn’t just about my wife and me stating the “rules of the road,” or about my daughter reading them in a book or online. She has to actually experience it. The same holds for leadership. While we each lead in the ways that work best for us and hopefully those we serve, there are still some practices that need to follow set steps. For instance, it would be considered a poor leadership strategy to make changes that affect others solely on the basis of the leader’s thinking. Incorporating others’ voices is always a smart leadership move. You also would want to follow the key steps set by your organization for hiring employees. Not following these rules could be problematic. Just like not following the rules when driving.
Take a turn
There are many examples of the need to wait for others when driving. If you are the second person at a four-way stop, you naturally wait for the person who arrived at their stop sign first to drive through the intersection. If someone is backing out of a parking spot into the roadway you are traveling on, wait for them to back out rather than attempt to go around them. Understanding that you are not the only person on the road is part of being a successful driver. And, similarly, understanding that you are not the only person in an organization can help you become a stronger leader. The act of leading assumes that there are others present. Sure, you can “lead” yourself; however, self-leadership is only really part of the story. To truly lead, you need to lead for and with others. That means recognizing that you are “part” of the process and not “the” process. Taking turns through recognition of others’ presence is key to leading (and driving) successfully.
Give it gas
Cars need a driver, certainly. They also need fuel. A car with an empty gas tank can’t be driven (though it can be pushed). Being aware of the amount of gas in your tank allows you to make better decisions and, most importantly, keep your car on the road. Leadership requires both a source of fuel and awareness of the need for it. People need food, drink, sleep, family/friends, etc., and all of these are necessary to make effective decisions and keep the leader (like the car) moving forward. And awareness is key. If we recognize that we need sleep, we need to get some. If we are hungry, we need to eat. Because, just like a car, we don’t want to run out of gas and get stuck.
There are lots of other parallels, of course, and these four stood out to me as I helped my daughter think through making a left turn at a traffic light. The car needed fuel to move; it was important to take turns to obey the rules of the road; there was a sequence of steps to take to avoid an accident; and she had to be able to figure it out and enjoy the experience. Life is full of examples where all these pieces come into play and help us learn to do something better. And learning how to drive can be great preparation for learning to lead.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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