Patience

Are you a patient person?

Longwood Garden path - photo by doug smith - ok to share

At one time, I was not a patient person. I had things to do, places to go, people to see. If people were slowing me down, it got me upset. If people were taking too long to do what seemed like an easy task, it got me upset.

The problem with having no patience is that you could spend a lot of time being upset. And what does that give you?

I've been working on it. While leaders may benefit from some impatience (are you done yet?) they truly need patience to achieve their mission. The big goals, the vision, the mission - all that takes time and patience. Let the butterfly work its own way out of the cocoon. Let the plant grow. Let your team member learn how to do what they need to do (even when, not if, it takes longer than it would have taken you.)

Patience takes practice.

How do you practice? Every time you feel impatient, breathe and whisper to yourself "ah...this is a patience growing opportunity."

Silly? Not as silly as living without patience. That'll get you into trouble.

Patience takes practice. Do it.

-- doug smith

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