1.  J. Martin Hays Page 1 of 7
THE TRAFFIC METAPHOR: WE’RE ALL SOMEONE ELSE’S TRAFFIC
Jay Hays
Introduction
The Traffic Metaphor is a useful tool / exercise to
highlight common problems in team and work group
dynamics and lead to their improvement. Once you
have led or participated in conduct of The Traffic
Metaphor, you will see that it is a non-threatening
way for members of teams and work groups to identi-
fy the kinds of behaviours that impede their effective
collaboration. The Traffic Metaphor also provides a
simple and compelling means to explain and exempli-
fy systems dynamics, or the behaviour of complex
systems, at least in terms of human interaction.
The Use of Metaphor
Metaphors are symbols, images, or expressions that are applied to (used in place of) objects or
ideas to which they are not directly or literally applicable, to suggest resemblance between them.
Metaphors are often used to make a more graphic representation and memorable connection.
Metaphors can be richer and more evocative than the
idea or thing they supplant. This is useful in creative
problem solving and out of box thinking because it al-
lows one to distance oneself from the familiar and typi-
cal way of perceiving the situation. They thus can be
used to expose different views of a problem. Consider
just for a moment the potential offered by conceiving a
loud, stinky automobile driving down the highway as a
volcano (as opposed to merely a car with a faulty ex-
haust pipe).
While this particular automobile may be unworthy of the metaphor, images and terms that come
to mind include:
 billowing, noxious fumes  explosive eruptions  unstoppable lava flow
 fury of nature  unthinkable damage  man made disaster
and so on. It is these other ways of looking at the problem that makes metaphors so powerful.
You may disagree that these terms and images are the right ones, but the fact is that it doesn’t
matter: there are no right or wrong metaphoric images or expressions. All can be used as
“springboards” to solutions or to other ideas that lead to solutions. What others did you think
of?

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The Traffic Metaphor
The Traffic Metaphor has team or work group members
identify numerous problematic driving behaviours and,
then, find analogous examples from their own experi-
ence interacting with others. Through the process of
identifying problematic behaviours and finding exam-
ples from their own experience, team and work group
members often come to personally “identify with” some
of the problem behaviours or at least see them “at
work” in interactions amongst their own group or or-
ganisation.
OBJECTIVES
Objectives of The Traffic Metaphor include:
 Identify and resolve problems in team effectiveness and collaboration.
 Teach use of metaphor in creative problem solving and out of box thinking.
 Instruct principles of systems thinking / systems dynamics.
The Traffic Metaphor can be used as an “ice breaker” or as a fun, stimulating exercise sand-
wiched between less interactive segments of a workshop. It is especially useful in seminars or
trainings on communication, and as a team building exercise.
PROCESS / STEPS
Segment Description
Time
Allotted
Introduction The anecdote: story of metaphor’s origins; the realisation that we all play a
role in driving behaviour (or any problem that arises). We are always “some-
one else’s traffic”:
we are impeding
them, going with the
flow, “pushing”
them, and so on.
You cannot just
blame another per-
son for problems:
we’re all on the road
together.
Depending on
learning objective, you may say more or less about the objectives, process,
rationale, etc.
5 mins
Driving Behaviours Facilitator leads group through identification and listing of common problem
driving behaviours. A few examples may be needed; most groups catch on
quickly and are able to generate numerous examples (see table, below)
10 mins

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Analogies Here, the facilitator leads to group through
the process of finding analogous behaviours
from the work place. The process is often
termed “force fitting” because of the some-
times-indirect application of the metaphor to
workplace behaviour. This step is a bit
harder than the previous, but most groups
do quite well at finding analogies. (Again,
see the table below.)
10 mins
Rules of the Road This is probably the most valuable part of the exercise for many teams. They
now have explored problematic behaviours and have (if only implicitly) identi-
fied with some of the typical problems. Now it is their task to develop “rules of
the road” for interacting. The rules usually come out as explicit expectations
and norms for behaviour that apply directly back to the problems they found
problematic in their own interaction.
The facilitator should strive for five to
ten things that the work group is willing
to commit to to focus on for improve-
ment. This may involve a process of
prioritisation and / or some operational-
ising (defining and scoping) of the prob-
lem and desired behaviours. (These
additional portions of the exercise can
add 10 to 20 minutes.)
Many groups benefit from a discussion
of and agreement on precisely how they
will hold one another accountable (enforce) their commitments. Just having
the dialogue around what is enforceable and how can be a productive team
building activity. This can also add a fair amount of time to the exercise.
10 mins
Synthesis / Debrief Depending on the purpose of the exercise and the “richness” of the participa-
tion and thoughts generated, the conclusion or concluding activity can be a
minute or two or 15 minutes. For example, in working with trainers or consult-
ants, a fair amount of time might be devoted to debriefing the event and explor-
ing how and where it might best be applied.
You could choose to explore how the exercise demonstrates systems thinking
and system dynamics, or critique the use of metaphor in this or other situa-
tions.
10 mins
You will need a minimum of 45 minutes to conduct the exercise comfortably.
DRIVING BEHAVIOURS AND EXAMPLE ANALOGIES
Below are just samples of problematic driving behaviours work groups typically generate, along
with possible analogies.
Failure to “signal your intent”
(shifting lanes or turning without
using indicators)
Changing the subject. Following
one’s own agenda, as opposed
to agreed process.
Slow and old Inflexible; unwilling or unable to
change. Slow; plodding. Holds
others back.
Running red lights or stop signs Those who don’t or can’t heed
warning signs or follow the rules
people have agreed to.
Rubbernecking Not paying attention. Attending
to anything but the task.
Tailgating Abrasive, irritating, pushy. Wearing hats Can’t see what’s going on
around him or her. Thinking
“hats” or other attire / symbols
mean the same thing to every-
body. Thinking you’re special.

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Passing on left Not following procedure or rules.
Taking advantage of others.
Heedless.
Make-up artist Doing things at inappropriate
times. Not paying attention.
Attending to personal business
at the cost of others.
Holding passing lane Stubborn; selfish. In cabin shaving Doing things at inappropriate
times. Not paying attention.
Attending to personal business
at the cost of others.
Mobile garage sale (car full of
crap)
Unsafe practices; distraction.
Too much “baggage” to take
focus on the task.
The mobile office (computing,
talking, using phone)
Always on the run; never “quite
there.”
Binary driving (speeding up and
slowing down)
Unpredictable, erratic, and con-
fusing.
Avid reader Doing things at inappropriate
times. Not paying attention.
Attending to personal business
at the cost of others.
Boom cars Flashy “show off.” Trying to
impress, but not doing the right
things. Maybe just distracting
others.
Victorian (Canberran, etc., driv-
ers)
You know what I mean.
Mobile junkyard (pieces falling
off)
This person is a walking "danger
zone.” There’s always some-
thing going wrong or getting in
the way.
Fluffy dice What can I say?
Learners Over cautious; under-
experienced.
Arrogant, over-confident drivers Brash. Always wanting to be “in
charge.” Know it all.
Volvo drivers Eh? Polluters (dirty exhausts) Showing no respect for others or
rules. Likely to “break down”
soon.
King of the road Always “up front” and often “in
the way.” Thinks his / her way is
the only way. My way or the
high-way.
Taxi drivers Always “up front” and often “in
the way.” Things his / her way
is the only way. My way or the
high-way.
Litterbugs Disrespectful; messy; distract-
ing.
Lane-hoppers / drifters Unfocussed; purposeless.
Shifty, unpredictable; unde-
pendable.
Sleepy drivers Weary / wearisome. Unfo-
cussed / inattentive. In the way.
Hooters (horn blasters) Loudmouths; know it alls. Peo-
ple who are impatient / intoler-
ant.
Here are a few more driving behaviours. What analogies can you think of?
Those who use the breakdown
lane
Lapdogs
Selective vision Those who cut in abruptly
Stop light “drag racers” Those who won’t let you merge
Chatterboxes Those who stop at roundabouts
What additional driving behaviours can you come up with?

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There are many other possibilities, and the analogies one can make are almost endless. There
are no rights and wrongs to the connections one makes.
THOUGHTS ON CONTRACTING AND ENFORCEMENT
The activity leading to agreement on ways and means of enforcing group norms can be lucrative.
It promotes the development of a sense of ownership and responsibility for maintaining group
effectiveness, while reducing blaming of others or dependency on management to “fix” prob-
lems. Enforcement can also be fun, and condu-
cive to team-building.
At the minimum, the product of the concluding
activities of The Traffic Metaphor should be an
agreed-upon list of desired and / or proscribed
team behaviours. Development of a checklist
or scorecard can be useful when the team refers
regularly to the device, and updates it when
appropriate. For example, as part of a standard
meeting agenda, team members should ask,
“How are we doing on our areas for improve-
ment?”
The team can also develop “punishments” or “calling” mechanisms and merits or rewards re-
spectively for counter-productive and effective behaviours. A “horn blast” or other alarm sym-
bol might signal, for instance, that someone is breaking a rule. Team members might be charged
“demerits” for going against norms. Sufficient demerits might be repaid by buying coffee for all
team members, or by performing some “community service” to the team, such as facilitating the
next meeting or leading the next norm-setting session.
Alternatively, achieving desired behaviours and reducing problematic behaviours might earn
team bonus points that can be “cashed in” for activities or things the team might value and find
rewarding.

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Images to support the lesson
Congestion in the city. We’re all
someone else’s traffic…
Metropolitan road network and access into the city.

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More group dynamics.
Traffic???