Over the past three months, I have been driving through a construction zone I cannot avoid. Same route. Same traffic signs. Same narrowed lanes. And here is what I keep noticing...
Some drivers act like the work zone is new every day.
They speed past all the signs that say, "Construction zone ahead. Reduce your speed. This lane ends in one mile. This lane ends in half a mile. This lane ends in 1500 feet."
They force their way into the next lane at the last second. Then they tailgate the vehicle in front of them, and then they arrive late to their destination and exhausted anyway.
Some leaders lead their teams the same way.
They treat known challenges and issues like emergencies. They desire to drive the "normal speed" even when the lane is narrowed. They shuffle priorities weekly, burn people out, and still miss the deadlines.
Here are a few ways you can lead differently in the workplace when you cannot bypass the construction zone:
- 1Stay present entering the construction zone (Mindful Awareness)
- Lead each moment without judgment so you can respond, rather than react, when traffic comes to a standstill.
- Remember, your behavior is the model for how the traffic (the atmosphere in your workplace) will flow for everyone else.
- 2Identify the challenge and set the pace (Intentional Clarity)
- Call out the lane closures and reset expectations so people can move with purpose.
- Publish the "reduced speed limit" signs: remind your team of the expectations and revise timelines based on current traffic flow.
- 3Pick a lane and commit to a safe driving distance between the vehicle in front of you (Aligned Accountability & Reflective Evaluation)
- Install the React, Reflect, Redo loop: a 15-minute weekly review to capture what slowed us, what we will try next, and how the adjustments impact everyone.
The wisdom is simple: do not panic at the merge; plan before you get there. You cannot always avoid the construction zone, but you can control how you drive through it.
Looking for more practical steps to build momentum with your team? Grab my new book, Momentum Mindset®: Get Unstuck. Move. Achieve When It Matters Most. Use it as a shared leadership tool: read a chapter each week, apply the exercises, and turn every "construction zone" into steady progress. Better yet, schedule a conversation to see how I am supporting other teams in moving with purpose.
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