Keep your distance!!!

Don't you just hate those people who just sit on your butt when you driving?

It’s as if you have to move out the way just for them, but there are 10 cars ahead of you and you can't move out of their way!

If you are on the same wavelength as me, then we add a hoot or a flash of lights for you to move... well, I then TOTALLY lose the plot and go just a little slower, turn up my music and start singing and smiling.

I am also that type of employee mind you, if you sit on my butt for something, I won't get it done as I would have if you give me that distance to work my creative magic.

This has been a pet peeve for me for many years. Allow me to go down memory lane with you for a few moments…

While moving homes from one side of Johannesburg to the other, I was busy with the last load in my car and the time was around 8pm.

It was dark and I was driving on the highway (ps: this was back when the highway also had 3 lanes and not the 4 lanes it has now).

As I was driving, I had an opportunity to drive into the fast lane as one truck was in the first lane, another truck passing the other truck (or rather trying) so, I moved safely into the fast lane and start overtaking.

Out of nowhere, a car comes speeding and then starts to flash its headlights at me to move. At the moment, I kinda look to my left (as we drive on the left side of the roads here in South Africa) and see that the two trucks and I are all moving and I have nowhere to go – intense I know, but bear with me.

This persistent person keeps flashing and starts with those lovely hand signals. By this time, I am tired, I have been moving all day and this jerk is just being that, a jerk.

So, at this point, you might be expecting that I have probably caved in and passed the trucks and moved aside... well.

Anyone who really knows me, knows that that's not me.

So, I turned the music up, and slowed down so the 2 trucks and I kept a great steady speed for a good few kilometres!

I eventually, after having my fun and smiles to end off a long day, passed and let Mr grumpy pass and he happened to be taking the next off-ramp, so it kinda makes you think about your reactions to what happens around you.

While you can't control the weather, (with the KZN Floods and still loads of rain still happening all over South Africa, we are continually reminded) you CAN control how you respond. How you talk to people. How do you reach out. How do you lead others to get them to feel they are in a safe zone again.

Leadership is a great responsibility, but if you follow other people WAY too close, you also lose sight of the road. You forget that it's a journey, not just a ride in the car.

This brings me to my next point.

If you follow someone while driving and you are the person "sitting on their butts", what do you get to see? Usually, you are seeing the car, their brake lights, up close and personal and indicators, if they decide to use them.

According to?Arrive Alive?you should use the 2-3 second rule in the distance between cars as our reaction time will then allow us to see obstructions and the road clearer or if there is a sudden halt.

Now, this morning, on the way to the Chiropractor, after all these floods in KZN, we have potholes that are now larger than before or debris on the road, some places still clearing up landslides etc.

?I realised, that when I follow someone too close, I don't get to see the pothole until I am IN it. (Then I feel it more than I would have if I just pulled back a little and seen it so it can be avoided)

This is then true in leadership and following others.

We ALL make mistakes, and follow too close, or don't see the obstacle or pothole.

BUT, if we learn to take a breath, follow and lead by giving people their distance, we can see the people in front of us dodging obstacles better and we too then know the way, but if you are leading the way, you need to see the road clearer so, keeping your distance, lights on and being alert so that your team doesn't all hit the same pothole, we might all not be sitting on the side of the road waiting for tyre changes!

Lesson? Keep your distance so your path is more visible!