6 Leadership Lessons Learned From The Road For Working Women

Today, there is a plethora of motivation for women in leadership. Some of the most noteworthy names include television personalities Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. These women display empathetic qualities through their actions and all people can learn a lot from their heart-led leadership. 

Leadership lessons don’t solely come from daily talk show hosts, they pop up in our day-to-day. This includes raising children, becoming a mompreneur and even on a family road trip to Disneyland. The following leadership lessons learned from the road can help women become stronger leaders at home, work and their community. 

Lesson 1: Construct Goals

Deciding on a destination for a family road trip such as Disneyland is essential before embarking on any type of day trip. Selecting a destination is equivalent to setting goals in the workplace, at home and community events. Constructing goals can increase productivity and help you stay motivated. Alternatively, not having goals can make tracking progress difficult, which hinders you from reaching your full potential and ability to lead a team. 

Lesson 2: Produce a Plan

After you set goals, developing the rest of your road trip plan is fundamental for staying focused and minimizing risks along your trip. Consider factors like how long your body is capable of driving, how often to stop for gas and bathroom breaks. This ensures your internal risks are reduced and your ride goes smoothly. As a leader, measuring your team’s performance in achieving goals can help you make important financial decisions. 

Lesson 3: Plan for Breakdowns

Although you minimize your internal risks, it’s naive to think there will be no external factors that slow down your plan. A car accident and harsh weather conditions are common external risks associated with road trips. Ultimately, traveling rarely goes according to plan. This same idea applies to leadership. Whether you lose an important employee or receive negative feedback, how you react to highly intense situations reveals a lot about your decision-making abilities. Stay calm and make educated decisions. 

Lesson 4: Include Everyone

If you’re traveling across the country or globe, different communities have varying cultures. Some argue culture immersion is the best part of family adventures. Embracing new ideas and ways of doing things can confirm or change your leadership methods. A diverse team is known to create innovative ideas and could generate the most financial return for a business. Value cultural differences and strengthen your leadership skills. 

Lesson 5: Foster Open Communication 

Communication is the key to success in any environment. Spending hours in a car with kids can be challenging and stressful for parents. Regularly communicate with your kids on their bathroom and food needs. This reduces the risk of emergencies while miles away from the next pit stop. From a leadership lens, bad communication can cause a mix of organizational issues. This internal factor can easily be diminished with communication apps and hiring team members with excellent communication skills. 

Lesson 6: Balance Self vs. Others

Although many people find backseat drivers annoying, their opinions could indicate their willingness to help. Sometimes road trips require a change in drivers and backseat drivers may jump to the opportunity. Be aware of your team members' strengths and weaknesses. Holding all of the weight on your shoulders can slow down productivity and show employees they aren’t trusted. Delegate responsibilities to others, so they feel part of the team. 

Pay attention to your daily activities and ask yourself how certain actions apply to leadership. You may be surprised by what other areas communicate leadership lessons. Check out the infographic below for more leadership lessons from the road. 



Road Trip Leadership Lessons

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