PATIENT
WHY IT MATTERS
It takes time to be successful. No matter how hard or fast a leader works, the debt to time must always be paid. Rarely do big and important things happen overnight or all at once. Changes in people, forward progress in work, and steps towards results take place piece-by-piece, step-by-step, bit-by-bit. Leaders that are patient stay persistent and anxiously engaged while not becoming distracted or discouraged. Because they are patient they don’t overreact while waiting for time to run its course. Leaders that are impatient are susceptible to making rash decisions, rushing to unfounded judgments, acting irrationally, and prematurely abandoning good things, and getting in the way of the work’s slow but steady progress.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are patient have the wisdom to know everything takes time. They know time is something they can’t pause, start, or stop. They know that patience will often provide them the answers and solutions they need more than a rush to judgment or a knee-jerk reaction. They are driven and push for results. However, they recognize when a patient approach to work or people is the wisest path to achieve their end goal. They know when to allow time for things to work themselves out, and time to ensure they get things right.
Leaders that are patient are deliberate and calm when facing difficult situations. They analyze problems and issues when they arise. They don’t overreact or respond too quickly. They ponder over all possible solutions and explore potential outcomes to their fullest. They don’t rush to judgment or come to abrupt conclusions. They take the time to substantiate their feelings and thoughts before taking action.
Leaders that are patient don’t expect to see results in an instant. They know the process of accomplishment requires slow and steady progress, as opposed to quick sprints. They make getting the work done in a timely manner a top priority, but they are willing to let the work happen at the right speed and pace.
Leaders that are patient are forbearing with other people. They give people the benefit of the doubt. They are slow to make assumptions or hasty judgments. They expect the best out of people but know when to be patient with their growth and progress. They don’t get frustrated by people who do or say things different than they would. They are masters of their own emotions.
Leaders that are patient know how to manage stressful situations. They don’t allow stress to get the best of them or catch them off guard. They maintain their composure, treat people with courtesy and respect, and conserve their ability to think clearly, make good decisions, and take necessary action.
Leaders that are patient are patient with themselves. They expect their personal performance to be at the very highest level, but they don’t waste energy beating themselves up over every little mistake they make. When they do make mistakes, or fall short of their own expectations, they quickly pick themselves up, dust themselves off, make needed adjustments, and get back to work.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
It takes time to be successful. No matter how hard or fast a leader works, the debt to time must always be paid. Rarely do big and important things happen overnight or all at once. Changes in people, forward progress in work, and steps towards results take place piece-by-piece, step-by-step, bit-by-bit. Leaders that are patient stay persistent and anxiously engaged while not becoming distracted or discouraged. Because they are patient they don’t overreact while waiting for time to run its course. Leaders that are impatient are susceptible to making rash decisions, rushing to unfounded judgments, acting irrationally, and prematurely abandoning good things, and getting in the way of the work’s slow but steady progress.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are patient have the wisdom to know everything takes time. They know time is something they can’t pause, start, or stop. They know that patience will often provide them the answers and solutions they need more than a rush to judgment or a knee-jerk reaction. They are driven and push for results. However, they recognize when a patient approach to work or people is the wisest path to achieve their end goal. They know when to allow time for things to work themselves out, and time to ensure they get things right.
Leaders that are patient are deliberate and calm when facing difficult situations. They analyze problems and issues when they arise. They don’t overreact or respond too quickly. They ponder over all possible solutions and explore potential outcomes to their fullest. They don’t rush to judgment or come to abrupt conclusions. They take the time to substantiate their feelings and thoughts before taking action.
Leaders that are patient don’t expect to see results in an instant. They know the process of accomplishment requires slow and steady progress, as opposed to quick sprints. They make getting the work done in a timely manner a top priority, but they are willing to let the work happen at the right speed and pace.
Leaders that are patient are forbearing with other people. They give people the benefit of the doubt. They are slow to make assumptions or hasty judgments. They expect the best out of people but know when to be patient with their growth and progress. They don’t get frustrated by people who do or say things different than they would. They are masters of their own emotions.
Leaders that are patient know how to manage stressful situations. They don’t allow stress to get the best of them or catch them off guard. They maintain their composure, treat people with courtesy and respect, and conserve their ability to think clearly, make good decisions, and take necessary action.
Leaders that are patient are patient with themselves. They expect their personal performance to be at the very highest level, but they don’t waste energy beating themselves up over every little mistake they make. When they do make mistakes, or fall short of their own expectations, they quickly pick themselves up, dust themselves off, make needed adjustments, and get back to work.
BELIEFS
- Sometimes things just take time, and there is nothing you can do about it, no matter how hard you try.
- Losing your patience might make you feel justified in the moment, but you will always regret it in the long run.
- A man or woman who can’t control their feelings and be patient will be unlikely to control anything else.
- The surest sign of a person’s level of self-mastery is their ability to exude appropriate patience in difficult situations.
- You can try and force it, you can get frustrated, you can push, but you can’t make time go faster or slower than it does.
- For all its virtues, there are moments when the time for patience is past, and you have to move forward with speed and conviction.
- Be patient and you just might be lucky enough to receive patience in return when you need it most.
- It is better to be patient and get things done right the first time than it is to go back and have to fix things later on.
BEST PRACTICES
- Assess things before making conclusions.
- Wait for the right moment to take action.
- Don’t get frustrated at things that take time.
- Change pace to meet the needs of the moment.
- Be more concerned with accuracy than speed.
- Think twice before taking action.
- Know when to stop being patient.
- Accept time is out of your control.
- Act patiently towards yourself and others.
- Allow people to catch up to your pace.
- Recognize growth in people happens slowly.
- Know when to move fast and when to move slow.
- Be slow to let yourself get angry.
- Let time smooth over tough situations.
- Don’t rely on shortcuts to get what you want.
- Be careful to never jump to conclusions.
- Don’t be so patient it cripples the work.
- Don’t get caught in analysis paralysis.
- Show tolerance when others are trying.
- Step back to let things run their natural course.
- Accept that people move at different speeds.
- Desire speed, but be ok with steady progress.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I believe that a patient approach will more often prove better than a knee-jerk reaction, or do I choose to act impulsively?
- Do I let things play out and run their course, or do I always try and force them to a conclusion?
- Do I act deliberately when faced with difficult problems and situations, or do I overreact and take abrupt action?
- Do I allow time for hard work to produce the desired results, or do I expect to achieve results in a moment?
- Do I work at a consistent and steady pace that I can maintain, or do I work in reckless flash-sprints?
- Do I control my emotions and reactions when things go wrong, or do I lose my temper and react quickly?
- Do I act patiently towards my own mistakes and those of others, or do I get rattled by every little thing that goes wrong?
- Do I maintain patient composure in stressful situations, or do I let stress get the best of me and make me act hastily?
- Don’t be too patient for too long in situations where patience has run its course and a more aggressive approach is needed.
- Don’t let people interpret your patient approach as a sign of indecisiveness or a reluctance to take needed action.
- Don’t be so patient that people think they can underperform or walk all over you without consequence.
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
- I am able to work well with individuals of different backgrounds.
- I do not wait for consensus when making a decision.
- No matter what, I follow each step of the process exactly.
- Others consider me to be a patient person.
- The statement “good things come to those that wait” is true.
- I never run faster than my people.