As a follow-up to yesterday's Business/Cycling parable, here's what I learned on today's 40 kilometer roller-coaster ride:
Road conditions are like the people you work with, and the way they work together. Doesn't matter what direction you're going--Uphill, Downhill or Straightaway--the make-up of the road is usually the primary deciding factor in the enjoyment of yourjourney.
A paved road is like a true, trustworthy team, working together to make your ride a pleasant one. Everything works better--grip, gear shifting, mood--when the road beneath you is smooth.
On the other hand, rocky roads are just that. Yeah, they may hide behind the sexy Italian alias "Strada Bianca," but on dysfunctional, uneven, sand-and-stone terrain, you're on your own at all times. Uphill is suddenly twice the effort, Downhill almost works against you, and even the steady flow of the Straightaway can be upended in a Tuscan second by a mere, nastily-placed pebble. Treachory abounds in every direction.
Trouble in the office? Forget the corporate shrink or consultant. Instead, invest in some molten blacktop...and a steamroller.