I love taking road trips into the hills. It’s a great way to clear the head in the vast landscape. On a long weekend recently, I decided to drive out to the hills with some friends. We made sure we had the right vehicle and detailed directions to get to our destination. En route, we kept tabs on the weather and kept at a trot to avoid the showers heading our way!

It was a great trip and we came back completely rejuvenated. But, on our return, we heard  stories from acquaintances who had got stuck on the very same route that weekend. Looking back, I am amazed at the management mantras we could draw from our experience. I’d like to share these deceptively simple rules of the road with you.

The right vehicle for the terrain: Picking the right vehicle for the journey seems such an obvious decision: An SUV for better maneuverability on hilly terrain, a van for lots of space with kids. But when we put together a team on a new project, do we pay the same obvious attention to creating the right blend of expertise and experience or do we bow to other constraints, such as available time and bandwidth? The importance of this exercise cannot be underplayed – as it excruciatingly evident in adverse situations.

Check traffic and weather: That’s hygiene before setting out on the road, right? But at work, it might be worthwhile to check: Having put together a team, do we jump right into the nitty gritty of the business challenge, or do we step back for a moment to study the external environment impacting the client?

Chalk the right route: Sometimes, it is better to select driving directions to make the shortest time rather than the shortest distance. The optimal route would be based on a combination of the first two points and the specifics of the project. Consequently, the right path to get from Point A to Point B – from the business challenge to the solution – may not necessarily be direct or the shortest distance, but the most effective path to success.

Fuel up: Besides filling the tank before a road trip, you probably also check the oil and coolant levels, as well as the air pressure in the four wheels and the spare tire. In addition, you might carry along some supplies like water, snacks, and perhaps a first aid kit. Similarly, at work, having decided the route and before taking a deep dive, the next step would be to gather the necessary resources to maximize efficiency.

Set your pace: It’s time to set out on your journey. Yet as you do, you pace yourself based on the distance to be covered, time in hand as well as the speed limit. In other words, you find a balance between short term profitability and sustainability. You navigate the traffic, negotiate bends, and take advantage of clear patches to maximize the opportunities along the way.

Timely servicing: Having experienced the joy of a road trip, you return to send your car off to the auto shop for a quick servicing. You heed the mechanics advice on the need to replace or repair any wear and tear along the way. Do we also pay the same attention to a periodic skills review so as to upgrade our own competencies as and when required?

It all seems so obvious and systematic on a road trip, doesn’t it? But at work as in life, some of these steps merge into each other and others are skipped due to various compulsions along the way. And these are the very gaps that cause unforeseen problems.

How can we learn from these simple lessons from the road to make ourselves more effective at work? Would you like to add a few of your own experiences here so we can put together a collective compilation of management mantras from the road?