How do you react when your plans get blind-sided? 

Do you ever have one of those days where you delight in everything and almost miss the significance of the hazards you encounter? Like pheww – that was lucky! 

I did. 

It got me wondering… Would you open up your house to a stranger at the door? Hand over a tool? Share your story? Go the extra mile and offer the last slice of home made chocolate cake?
Last Saturday I was dressed inmy  kevlar, camo bike pants. An extra bike vest to guard against the light chill. It was a beautiful, crisp Autumn morning when I left home on my Ducati. My husband Dave was on his Aprilla and we set off to meet our friend Steve at the nearby service station.

LEADERSHIP SPILLS & NEAR MISSES

Arriving at the Caltex first I noticed a fuel spill ahead at one of the bowsers. As a motorcyclist, diesel or oil spills are a dangerous risk for riders.

No problem. Dave went into pay for our fuel, and offerred to access the spill kit and clean up the fuel at the empty bowser, which he did. Love that about him.

Got a question for you…. Is your business seeing safety as an expression of customer service vs straight out compliance issue? As a Leader are you dealing with ‘spills’? It could be time to clean house and be clear who’s on the team with their eyes wide open.

LEAN IN. Like You Mean It. 

Continuing on our adventure, cornering through the hills of northern New South Wales, everything was going fabulous!

I was leaning in like nobody’s business! I love left-handers, my hip slides back on the seat, slightly off centre, the throttle opens up and I was chasing Dave through the mountains with a huge grin.

Lesson: Find your leadership groove and enjoy the ride! 

I let Steve pass me and I’m tailing the boys. We slow down, entering the small town of Burringbar, passing the Burringbar Service Station as we’d done so many times before. 2 kms further down the tar and just short of another left hander Dave and Steve cornered from view when my rear tyre went BOOM!! Thack Thack Thack!! 

Yep, BOOM Thack Thack Thack!! 

Lesson: when you know something is wrong, stop! Pause and evaluate

Pulling up outside a small house I checked out the rear wheel. No sound when I got off the bike. I called the boys knowing they would have almost stopped at the Moo Moo Cafe at Mooball, ready to order the coffee’s.

Lesson: know your Leadership routine, where to find help and ask for it when you need it

Gosh I love travelling with my own pit crew. Hightailing it back to me, without their coffee orders, they arrived to see me standing with a rear wheel now hissing out air.

The three of us moved the bike forward half a rotation when the source of the BOOM was identified.

The scar lines along the tyre showed where the steel had scraped, before flicking up on its’ end, puncturing the thick wall and embedding ao hard that only pliers from the nearby stranger could extract it.

Lesson: Some issues we encounter at work are bigger than we realize. Investigate and pull out all the facts

Dave had an idea to head back to Burringbar Service Station for a can of Pyrol Pump Inflator, and they came through.

Lesson: Be prepared to be surprised by country stores. They almost always have something you need! 

Unfortunately I was pretty much stopped in my tracks, able only to limp back to the Burringbar Service Station and Cafe with the temporary repair. The puncture too deep and wide for the pyrol to fix.

Our solution, pull-up chairs next to the Indooroopilly Bike Riders in their lycra inside and allow ourselves to be loved on and spoilt by new friends Cheryl and Lindsay, owners of Burringbar Service Station and cafe. Great coffee and home made chocolate cake.

Here’s how I was blessed by these turn of events, while Dave and Steve rode back to the Gold Coast to pickup the motor bike trailer and come to my rescue a second time, and I prepared to sip on my second Latte.

• Spouses and friends are to be honoured and never taken for granted
• A good coffee opens up conversation. Find out their signature dishes. Cheryl and Lindsay are renowned for their Prawn Cutlets!
• Remind yourself people are inherently good
• Accept hospitality when offerred and be gracious
• Relax and do something different. Take off your boots and your safety jacket and let tour hair down
• If you have data, wifi and battery on your smartphone, redeem the time. Write a blog. Checkin on Facebook. Lodge a TripAdvisor review.
• Honour privacy
• Give thanks

That’s a BOOM Ta Dah Award for great customer service by Cheryl and Lindsay of Burringbar Service Station and Cafe, and a huge nod to the warmth of humanity that seeks to serve others by what they have in their hands.

Who can you thank today?

  * Look at the size if the piece of steel! Grateful it didn’t flick up and hit anyone. A day of surprises! 

Keywords: Adversity, Leadership, Resilience, Customer Service, Opportunity, Value-Add, Loyalty