Business Lessons You Can Learn from Driving (in Jakarta)

Some of you drive to work, while some of you drive only on weekends. I bet we all have encounter bad traffic wherever we are. I live in Jakarta, and terrible traffic is a part of my daily routines. As much as people complains about it, I might as well enjoy it, and if possible, make the most out of it.

One thing that come across my mind in the last couple of days, that driving, especially in bad traffic, can teach you several management lessons that might come handy in work or other live situations. Here are a few:

1. Decision Making

There are times when you drive behind a slow vehicle, and you wonder, should you just stay there, or take over his/her lane? Any wrong decision might lead you to longer driving time, or worst, car accident. Other example is when you wanted to decide which route to take. Any decision can either get you faster, or slower getting to your destination.

2. Stress Management/Patient

Many aspects during driving really test this area of skill. From long hour traffic, other vehicles driving without obeying rules, other vehicles cut you in a sudden move, traffic report, other vehicles slightly bumped on your vehicle and ran off, unknown road diversion, etc. For most people, music is one way to reduce your stress. But being in the car with so many types of distractions, people can develop other ways to reduce their stress level.

3. Planning

Stuck in a traffic for hours make you wonder, "why didn't I take this road instead," or "I should have check Waze or Google Map," or "I should have depart earlier." People will begin to gather information beforehand on the route they are going to take and thinking about alternative, what ifs, time of travel, etc. These informations will increase your awareness of the road you're going to take.

4. Adaptability

With different things faced by drivers in our daily stroll, we need to learn to adapt. How to face hundreds of motorcycle storming your way, how to face dozens of trucks marching, or even how to face road closing due to emergency. Sometime, different roads will need different driving style. For instance, how you drive in small alley is different with how you drive in a highway.

5. Time Management

Quite close with planning, where when you need to go to someplace new, several things you do such as calculating the distance, find information on daily traffic condition, calculating the time to get there, etc. If it is an important meeting or job interview, surely you will do whatever it takes to make sure that you can reach the place early or on time.

6. Creative Thinking

Sometime, you might need to be a little more creative. Some would go even breaking the rules to go faster (not that I recommend it...). However, you might want to think outside the box to release yourself from bad traffic. Find those traffic info website or applications, use GPS, park your car at malls or restaurant and wait until the traffic is loosen up, or park your car somewhere safe and go home by cab.

7. Resilience

This is where most of Jakarta residences (or workers) choose to build up. Since the traffic so bad that they won't be able to escape from it, mostly just get along with it. It's good now many people can really stay calm in one of the world's worst traffic.

8. Strategic Thinking

One of the main point is to get where you want to go fast (and cheap) (and as comfortable as possible). It may involve decision between riding a car, or get public transportation. Waking up and get to the office earlier so you can doze off at the office just before the working hour started. Stay up late at the office so the traffic can cool off when you decided to go home, etc.

So, I hope after reading this you won't find 'Stuck in traffic' as somekind of useless way to spend time. There are always things to do (or learn).

-turtle30082015-

#motivation #management #change #productivity #work #business #leadership