After studying the situation for a minute, the driver scrambled back on the bus, clearly planning to maneuver his way out of the tight spot so he could get his bus-ful of kindergartners back to school safely after their day exploring a farm.
But before he could reclaim the driver's seat, one of the mothers along on the trip had climbed into the bus driver's seat, and was studying the situation herself, even rearranging mirrors to get a better view. When the bus driver returned, she began telling him -- still sitting in his seat -- how he should get out of the tight spot.
We watched in intrigue and disbelief as this mother -- who clearly had no professional driving experience and had never driven a school bus before -- continued to strongly express her opinions. Who did this woman think she was? Why was she so determined to do a job that did not belong to her -- and one that she clearly was not qualified to tackle?
I think about that mother a lot these days. And I often ask myself, "Am I trying to drive the bus?"
We are all guilty, at times, of taking on matters that are best left to others. Each of us has a different skill set. And we do our best, most effective work when we focus on our strengths, leaving other jobs to those who are best suited to them.
This, for example, is why we hire people to handle our finances, instead of handling all of them ourselves. It's why we trust others to handle some of the technological aspects of what we do. It's why we are so appreciative of the people who have assisted us with our graphic design projects and are quick to trust their professional judgement above our own.
Don't be guilty of trying to drive the bus - it will leave you frazzled, frustrated and ineffective. Instead, know what you are good at, and follow that path. And whenever possible, leave the bus driving of life to the real experts.
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