From Traffic Lights to Office Fights: Navigating Our Inherent Values

Living in a slow-moving city, where traffic moves at a snail’s pace, can test one’s patience and perseverance.

Do you know that distances are measured in songs? The slower the playlist, the closer the destination.

Do you think a person’s values and beliefs may reflect their behaviour during traffic jams?

This article will explore how such behaviours can manifest in the workplace.

Behaviour: Aggressive Driving or Road Rage

• Values: Lack of patience, low tolerance for inconvenience, and high prioritisation of personal time

• Beliefs: “My time is more important than others’,” “Others should drive the way I expect them to,” or “I must assert control in this situation.”

• Office Behavior: Interruption of colleagues during meetings, expecting immediate responses to emails or messages, showing impatience when others don’t work at the desired pace

Behaviour: Honking Excessively

• Values: Urgency, assertiveness, and a demand for attention.

• Beliefs: “Others should notice and respond to me,” or “I have a right to express my frustration.”

• Office Behavior: Seeking constant validation for work done, expecting to always be in the loop regarding decisions or updates, and getting upset if not consulted or considered for projects or tasks.

Behaviour: Switching Lanes Frequently

• Values: Seeking efficiency and a potential lack of patience

• Beliefs: “There’s always a faster way,” or “I can find a way out of this.”

• Office Behavior: Regularly pushing for tighter deadlines, changing methodologies frequently to seek efficiency, and showing frustration with bureaucratic processes

Behaviour: Yielding or Letting Others Merge

• Values: Cooperation, patience, and empathy

• Beliefs: “We’re all in this together,” or “Helping others will create a smoother flow for everyone.”

• Office Behavior: Collaborative approach to projects, being open to feedback, showing understanding when team members face personal or professional challenges, and fostering a team-oriented atmosphere

Behaviour: Listening to Music or Podcasts to Pass the Time

• Values: Adaptability and making the best out of a situation

• Beliefs: “There are things beyond my control, so I might as well make the best of it.”

• Office Behavior: Adapting to change, showing resilience in the face of challenges or setbacks, and maintaining a positive attitude even during stressful times

Behaviour: Complaining to Fellow Passengers or on the Phone

• Values: The need for validation and shared understanding

• Beliefs: “It’s okay to vent frustrations,” or “Sharing my problems will make me feel better.”

• Office Behavior: Regularly sharing grievances with coworkers, sometimes engaging in office gossip, and possibly showing passive-aggressive behaviours when discontented

Behaviour: Following Rules and Waiting Patiently

• Values: Respect for rules and structure, patience

• Beliefs: “Things will move in their own time,” or “Rules are there for a reason.”

• Office Behavior: Displaying patience with processes and systems, giving colleagues space to complete their tasks without undue pressure, and showing understanding of the complexities of tasks or projects

Behaviour: Taking Alternative Routes

• Values: Resourcefulness and proactivity.

• Beliefs: “There’s always another solution,” or “I have the power to change my situation.”

• Office Behavior: Displaying proactive problem-solving, frequently suggesting alternatives or innovative solutions to challenges, and being the go-to person for brainstorming sessions

Traffic congestion magnifies underlying values and beliefs. Though not always indicative of behaviour in non-stressful situations, it can provide insight into deeper values. Core beliefs shape perceptions, attitudes, and reactions in various situations, including the office. However, these manifestations aren’t predetermined and are influenced by personal beliefs, experiences, culture, and circumstances.

Next time you have a traffic conversation with a colleague, you can make a correlation with his office behaviour. These are some of my observations about traffic behaviour. What resonated with you most? Would you like to add more traffic behaviours?