Motorcycling has been a part of my life for many years now. Whether I’m riding off-road trails or taking long touring routes across Ontario, there’s something about being on a bike that forces you to be fully present. You feel the road, the wind, the temperature, even your own heartbeat. It’s a pure, honest experience. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that motorcycling isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s a teacher. Many of the lessons I’ve learned on two wheels have shaped how I lead teams, manage projects, and navigate life.
Stay Focused on What’s Ahead
On a motorcycle, you learn quickly that where your eyes go, the bike goes. Look too long at a pothole or a guardrail, and you might drift toward exactly what you’re trying to avoid. The safest way through is to keep your eyes on where you want to be, not on what you fear.
Leadership works the same way. If you spend all your time staring at obstacles, you lose sight of opportunities. Whether I’m guiding a team through an organizational change or helping students understand a complex concept, I’ve learned that keeping a steady view of the destination makes the bumps along the way easier to handle. Teams pick up on where their leaders are looking. If your focus is on progress and possibility, people will come along with you.
Smooth Is Fast
One of the early lessons riders hear is “smooth is fast.” It means that riding isn’t about jerky movements or sudden decisions—it’s about being steady, controlled, and intentional. The smoother you are with your throttle, brakes, and steering, the more efficient and enjoyable the ride becomes.
This applies perfectly to leadership and project management. In high-pressure environments, people often assume the fastest approach is to rush, react, and push harder. But more often than not, the best outcomes come from steady, thoughtful movement. Planning carefully, communicating clearly, and taking consistent action beats frantic activity every time. I’ve seen large programs succeed not because the teams moved quickly, but because they moved well.
Know When to Lean In
Motorcycling requires leaning into turns. If you fight the bike or try to stay rigid, you become unstable. But if you trust the process—lean into the turn, keep your eyes up, and maintain your momentum—the bike carries you through safely.
Life is full of turns. Careers shift, organizations reorganize, unexpected challenges show up with little warning. I’ve learned that resisting change often makes things harder. But when I lean into change—embracing it, learning from it, and adapting with intention—I come out stronger on the other side. The same is true in leadership. Teams look for leaders who embrace challenges rather than fear them. Leaning in shows confidence, and confidence inspires stability.
The Importance of Checking Your Blind Spots
Every rider knows the importance of checking blind spots. Mirrors help, but they may not tell the whole story. A quick shoulder check can prevent a very bad day.
In leadership, blind spots exist too. We all have them—assumptions we don’t question, habits we don’t notice, perspectives we forget to consider. Over the years, I’ve learned to rely on others for honest feedback. Whether it’s a colleague pointing out a risk I didn’t see, a student sharing a different perspective, or a team member raising a concern, those “shoulder checks” have saved me more than once.
The more we acknowledge our blind spots, the better we lead.
Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination
One of the greatest joys of motorcycling is the journey itself. The freedom, the fresh air, the scenery—they’re all part of the experience. When you’re on a bike, you don’t just get from point A to point B. You live everything in between.
This reminds me to slow down and appreciate the process in life and work. When I was building and leading project management offices, there were countless milestones and deliverables. But the real satisfaction came from watching teams grow, seeing new capabilities develop, and knowing that the organization was becoming stronger.
Leadership isn’t about racing to the finish line. It’s about helping people along the way, celebrating progress, and finding meaning in the work.
Maintenance Matters
Every motorcyclist understands the importance of maintenance. If you skip it, your bike might still run for a while—but eventually something breaks, and it usually breaks at the worst possible time.
As leaders, we need maintenance too. Rest, reflection, learning, and self-care aren’t luxuries; they’re necessities. If I don’t take care of myself—physically, mentally, and emotionally—I can’t show up for my teams or my community. I learned this clearly during my humanitarian deployments with the Red Cross. Long hours and high-stress situations make self-care essential. The same rule applies everywhere.
Motorcycling has given me more than adventure—it has given me perspective. Every ride reminds me to stay focused, move smoothly, lean into challenges, check my blind spots, and enjoy the journey. These lessons shape how I lead, how I teach, and how I try to show up for others.
Whether I’m sitting in a boardroom, standing in a classroom, or helping during a community crisis, the principles I’ve learned on the road stay with me. And like any rider knows, the journey isn’t over. There are always new roads to explore, new skills to learn, and new opportunities to grow.