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The Art of Patience

Patience may be a virtue, but for many business leaders, it’s just plain hard to do. That’s because so many owners and CEOs aren’t wired to wait. They want results now. The good news is the art of patience can be learned. Patience can improve your executive coaching, strategic planning, decision making and even your personal life. Whether you are in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kentucky or Jacksonville, Florida, Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success can show you how to improve your patience.

Wait for it

No one likes waiting. A line at the cell phone store. Your carry-out order at a restaurant. The TSA queue at the airport. They all slow you down. And likely annoy you.

Why? Because we’ve become an instant gratification society. How many home runs did Hank Aaron hit? Look it up on your phone and get the answer in seconds. Showing patience at work is hard because it forces us out of our comfort zone.

When to be more patient

Everyone develops at a different pace. Some are quick learners. Others take a while to reach their full potential.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you have a great employee, smart, productive and hard-working. Most importantly, an ideal culture fit. There is an emergency opening in another area of the business and you plug in this great employee. The problem is their new job is completely different. New skillset, new software, new team, new everything.

You knew going in that it would take a while for them to get up to speed. And when it does—or when they make mistakes—you need to be patient. This is part of the deal. Give them support and training. Talk with them and coach them. Reinforce why you chose them and how what they are doing fits in to the big picture. Then give them more time. If you made the right initial choice, you’ll be happy in the long run.

Too patient

Patience is like chocolate. The right amount is fabulous. But too much isn’t a good idea.

Here’s another example. You hire a sales manager to lead a division’s revenue generation team. Eleven months later the new sales manager has yet to produce any significant new accounts…and no growth in revenue. Talk to the sales manager and the rest of the sales team to gauge momentum. Perhaps more time is needed. But don’t be too patient. If you need to cut bait, do it.

Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success

As one of America’s top executive coach and strategic planning professional, Krissi Barr has helped hundreds of companies and thousands of business leaders. She and her team practice the art of patience. And sometimes they use DISC and motivational assessments to better understand why some people find it easier to be patient. If you are in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kentucky or Jacksonville, Florida, contact Krissi today. And learn more about how Barr Corporate Success can help your organization reach its fullest potential.