Communicating Cars

I have been attending car shows and vintage races for over 45 years. I started taking my son with me when he was about four years old. Never did I think that those experiences would help him be a much more successful adult.

Car shows are teaching events.

One of my rituals was to insist my son go up to the car owner, look him in the eye, introduce himself, put his hand out for a shake, and start asking questions. “What kind of race car is this? How long have you owned the car? What is it like to drive? What do you do for a living? May I sit in your car?” He has sat in more cool cars than I ever have. All of his leading questions required more than a one word answer and always lead to wonderful discussions. Many lead to invitations for rides in those cool cars.

Questions that engage two people are the best questions.

Today my son has graduated from college and he is in his third month of full time employment. One of the things he has thanked me for is teaching him how to communicate with people. He learned it by attending all those car shows and asking all those questions. Its provided him with communication tools that most universities don’t teach.

Communication is the key to our success. The lack of it is the reason for our failures.

So, take your child to a car show. If you don’t have a child, volunteer to take a friend’s child. You very well may be teaching him, or her, an extremely valuable life lesson.