Posted on Mar 6, 2013

The Value of Patience in Leadership

The value of patience means endurance under thorny circumstances; good-natured tolerance of difficulties.

Leadership Questions:

Do you feel like you are required to have all the answers? Have you asked God for help?
Which is harder: the anticipation of an unknown outcome; or the waiting for change?
How can demonstrating patience right now help build a stronger team around you?
Are you giving God enough time to intervene and provide a solution?
Who do you know that always remained positive during trials? How did they do it?
After this thorny circumstance is gone, what story will you tell your friends?

Preparing for Patience

Challenges arise. Thorny circumstances emerge. Shift happens.

If living with – and through – difficulties is a natural part of life, then why don’t we learn to manage them better? If possessing patience is an essential quality for leading a healthy, happy life, then why don’t we plan for it?

Where does one find patience? When do we learn it? How do we acquire it?

In the Law of Process, leadership guru John Maxwell suggests that effective leaders practice the skill of planning and reflecting – every day. They plan their day, and then at the end of the day take some time to reflect on the day. They consider: what went well and why; what didn’t go well and why; and what they could have done differently. In other words, great leaders are constantly learning and growing from their experiences.

Have you ever noticed that when you sit with a wise old person, they also seem to possess an immense amount of patience? They rarely seem to be in a hurry. This is not because they no longer have any problems. Quite the contrary. Their patience came with the wisdom to know when they should wait and when they should act. And of course, wise ones never forget the power of prayer.

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” – Saint Augustine

So, if you want to develop patience, look for ways to acquire wisdom.