I teach people advanced driving. Friends who have known me since I learned to drive still don’t believe that. In fact, given my history, I have some trouble convincing myself that I can behave, but I can.

Most of the time. 😊

Lying in my sick bed these last three days, hence my absence, it struck me that the System of Car Control for police driving – which is the advanced template – is a great metaphor for life and self/time)-management.

The system’s mnemonic for an approach to any hazard is IPSGA, which means Information (what’s happening?), position (where do I need to be?), speed (need I slow down?), gear (what’s the best gear for getting through?) and acceleration (drive through and away to the next hazard).

The information phase isn’t just looked at once – it envelopes all the other phases so that, if the situation changes, you can re-enter the system at the appropriate point. (In the olden days of 2.8i Ford Granadas there was a requirement to do it all over again. And to learn all the definitions by heart.)

Isn’t that a great approach to any goal, challenge, opportunity, project or task?

There’s an event that I wish to bring under control.

• What information do I have, or need? Where can I get it? Who can help, what might be a threat to my success? Information.
• What’s the current position and what changes may (or may not) be needed?
• How quickly should I start – do I rush in without thought, or is my current rate of approach just right? Need I slow down to allow more thinking time?
• What equipment (gear) do I need? Do I need the latest whizz-bang laptop or can I do what’s needed on my phone? Am I working with the right team?
• And once all that is settled and in hand – we can make serious progress.

In driving, doing any of that in the wrong order causes accidents (worst case), clumsiness (less impactive) and gives an accurate impression of total incompetence.

The same applies to managing projects, surely? And ourselves.

Some people don’t like advanced driving. They think it’s done by big heads and wannabe cops. Driving, they have decided, is ‘easy’ and a ‘chore’.

I look at the driving experience as something to enjoy, something to master, and something where I should seek the maximum levels of competence that I can. Which, incidentally, protects my family.

I wonder if some people’s lives reflect the same line of thinking.

Is your life a chore, or something to be enjoyed, mastered and done well?

 

Go to www.iamroadsmart.com for info on driving really, really fast and well better.

Me driving the Nissan GTR 800bhp Fast and Furious Model. Sweeeeeeeet.