Just got my tyre punctured last night and I picked up quite a few leadership lessons from it:
1. When problems happen, make sure you steer out of potential dangers while trying to address your current situation. Eg, I could have stopped at the main road, but that would have been dangerous because of the rush hour and there were alot of heavy vehicles moving along that road.
2. Prepare for potential failures in your Standard Operating Procedures.
Having changed over 4 tyres in my entire driving life, I thought I was prepared for anything until I found out that the tyre has been so deflated that I had trouble putting my jack into the right spot.
3. Speed is of the essence.
When fixing problems, quickly address issues fast. This helps to build confidence within your team members. It was already 6.45pm and I knew that I had to change the tyre fast or else it would have been dark and I could not see anything. The light from my iphone was not very helpful in providing the illumination that I needed. I knew I had to call for help once it turns dark.
4. Know who to ask for help when in distress.
Do you have people that you know you could instantly turn to when you need help or advice? Good leaders don’t always think they ‘know it all’ but rely on the wisdom of others or their executive teams to solve situations. I called my friend in the car repairs line and got the specific man for the job.
5. Keep to promises, even though when it seems difficult.
I was actually on my way to watch a movie with my wife and was supposed to meet her at the cinema. Honestly, when this happened, I was totally not interested in it and had to wait for nearly an hour before help arrived. When it was fixed, my wife was pleasantly surprised that I still turned up. Turning up for a movie 70mins into it is not exactly fun (when you don’t know what happened in the beginning) but I wanted her to know that if I said I will be there, I will be there. Leaders must fulfill their words even in the small things, especially when it is difficult to do so. This helps build trust between members.
Conclusion: I personally think that we could learn many things from our daily lives and sometimes we need to be reflective of what we are doing.
