COVID-19 not only disrupted our lives big time. It also put a magnifying glass to the issues already prevalent before the pandemic. The result? Most third sector leaders now realise that we live in a so-called VUCA world, where things are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. 

Long-term plans aren’t necessarily considered as the best way forward anymore. Instead, we revert to quick responses and impatience. Alarming language like “climate emergency”, “water scarcity”, “system breakdown” and “species extinction” further increases our sense of urgency. We feel under constant pressure to achieve results and success now. 

However, in the bigger scheme of things, there is the “right” (or perfect) time for everything – in nature, life and work. The problem is that it’s difficult to know when that right moment is and be OK waiting for it. Most things worthwhile require patience, persistence and time to fully manifest. The expectation of fast results ignores this fact.

As people find it increasingly difficult to practice patience and persistence, we must remember that rash decisions come with high risks and terrible consequences for ourselves, others and the environment.

What is patience?

According to Wikipedia, “patience” is a state of being:

“It is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can have before disrespect. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.”

Do you know when to be patient and persist? Conversely, do you know when it’s time to give in to your impatience and maybe even change your goals? 

Patience and persistence must be applied with a high level of context awareness. They are incredibly useful skills in specific situations. Over time, they can pay off in multitudes.

So, what does it mean to be impatient? Here are three typical signs of impatience:

1. Regularly feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
2. Difficulty building trusting relationships.
3. Jumping to quick fixes instead of looking for sustainable solutions.

Does this sound like you? If so, you can turn your impatience around.

What you can do to navigate impatience

1. Manage overwhelm
   When the outside world puts you under constant pressure, it’s uncomfortable. You react with impatience and want to escape. Eventually, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode. Stress levels rise, and our high-level cognitive functioning becomes impaired. In other words, we can’t think clearly.

   Awareness is the key here, but it’s not always easy.

   The moment you notice the above, slow down. Get away from your desk for a few minutes, ideally into nature and sunlight. This will give you time and space to assess the situation calmly and clearly.

2. Build trust
   Well-known leadership educator and author, Stephen R. Covey, taught us that you can’t be efficient with people, you need to be effective.

   We put our stakeholders under pressure when we rush tasks and decisions in the name of “efficiency”. We must remember that all events at work (and in nature) have an ideal timing when all the pieces fall into place. Knowing how to balance urgency and importance with patience and persistence enables alignment and collaboration.

   Patiently waiting for the right moment is a communication enhancer. For example, asking your stakeholder if now is the right time to talk is a fantastic conversation starter and often determines success or failure. People need to be in the right space to work with you and build trust.

3. Consider future impact
   Having the patience to wait requires a high level of awareness and maturity as a leader. It is the recognition that inaction can have greater value than immediate action; that having “enough” might be more satisfying than striving for “more”.

   Assessing situations from a place of wisdom leads to better decisions. It avoids quick fixes by leaning towards more sustainable solutions.

In summary

In all three cases above, awareness is the key to successfully navigating the pitfalls of being too impatient and inconsistent. 

Awareness only works when you slow down. You need to take the time to clearly sense when patience and persistence will yield more sustainable results – and when they won’t. Improving your skill of noticing will enable you to lead more effectively with greater awareness. This is a constant learning process, and we all need to remember to look after ourselves first so that we can create more sustainable solutions for other people and all environments.

Written by Ingrid Messner.