As a leader, you’re playing the long game.
At all times.
But in our whiplash work culture constantly craving immediate ROI, it can be tough to stay the course or let things play out when the finish line is where everyone wants you to get to yesterday.
Patience is mandatory.
Without it, you’re sunk and here’s why:
1. You risk motivation and engagement
Your direct reports need to know you’re playing the long game so they remember they’re playing the long game. Shifting industries, introducing products, disrupting the status quo – none of it is an overnight success – and we easily lose sight of that. But instead of dangling the carrot 1-3 years ahead, have specific and measurable milestones at the 3, 6 and 9-month marks so you get feedback, assurance and renewed energy to keep going. You won’t regret it.
2. You might stymie solutions and treat symptoms
If you tend to jump in to problem solve in the name of efficiency and time, you’re depriving your team and direct reports from finding a solution – one that may even be better than the one you come up with. Give them hands-off space to rise to the occasion to surprise you, wow you and grow in the process. And if you actually give it a little bit of time, you allow the real problem to emerge so you and your team are more likely to come up with a solution for the SOURCE of the issue, not a SYMPTOM of it.
3. You could cause alienation or disengagement
Be mindful of your communication style! If you’re always interrupting people mid-thought or cutting them off mid-sentence – especially the ones that may not speak as fast or with as much energy as you do or want them to – you run the risk of alienating them and causing unnecessary disengagement. Ultimately, you run the risk of not hearing an idea that may be a GREAT one simply because they didn’t say it fast enough.
It seems countercultural because it is, but creating space, taking a step back, not acting right away is actually one of the best practices of a good leader.
Instant reflexes aren’t all they cracked up to be and can create avoidable messes nobody has time for.
So be patient.
It’ll pay off.
I’d love to hear from you! Do you struggle with creating space in your day to day? How has being patient paid off for you?