Management Learning from Traffic !!

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A great learning out of a small experience. On  route from office there is this one stretch which is always jam packed and to avoid this stretch I had to explore inner roads. With my two wheeler I figured out an inner road, which had pickup trucks, cars and two wheeler all travelling through this road, probably these were ones who were also fed up of the stretch and had explored this new route.


As I entered the inner road and was traveling, people coming from the other side were signalling that a traffic police was at the corner and not to travel any further. This sign of the oncomers raised doubt if we were violating the traffic rule and had explored a one way route by accident. However, since I wasn't completely sure, I took a U-Turn and I came back at the traffic signal.

I came back to the traffic signal and straight went to the traffic policemen and asked him if the route was not a one way and there was no violation of traffic rule. 

Now let's wear our management glasses and deduce some learning out of it. 

When people coming from other side signaled that it was one way, there was fear instilled in each of our hearts , if we were doing something wrong. Fear increased as many signaled that the traffic police was waiting on the other side of the road and would penalize if we travel further. 

Most common attitude "Why take risk ?" This was the thought in many as they wanted to avoid the possible outcomes and therefore turned back and made a U-Turn. The efforts, fuel and time they had invested in reaching until that point were now wasted and they had to travel back (through the black straight line) and invest again effort, fuel and time. 

I wasn't any different and had the same thought. Even I did a U-Turn but I wanted to clarify if there was a right turn. Therefore, i reached the signal and asked the traffic policemen if I could travel in the dotted line and there wasn't any violation of traffic rule. The police assured me of no violation and it was completely safe. Now I was very sure as I had asked the right person and had got my doubt clarified. As I traveled back still people from the other side were signalling that there were traffic policemen at the other end. Now I was sure as I had clarified from the traffic policemen and was able to answer if questioned. The confidence was 100% this time . 

Nowadays I take this short route and have full confidence while traveling through this short route. 

Some more of Gyan : 

1. Don't just follow the crowd. 
2. Identify the right person to question (mentor who knows the rules well) 
3. Even if you are not 100% sure , question and look for answers. 
4. Sometimes you might have to put some extra effort but that would be worth to get long term benefits. 

  • Black straight line represents the usual traffic 
  • Dotted represents the newly explored route 

Again these are "My Thoughts" and dedication. Do share your Thoughts... !! 



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