This story comes from Chester Elton, the author of The Gratitude Journal on LinkedIn. Learn more about his publication and his work – including “Anxiety at Work Resilience Training for Leaders and Managers” here.
As leaders, we often don’t lead with patience. We tend to try to push things too fast and don’t give our team the time necessary to make sure work is done properly. We micromanage, push too hard, and often can spoil the whole project to the point where we have to start all over again. That is a waste of time and resources that can lead to missed deadlines, disappointed clients, and frustrated team members.
Case in point: Let me tell you about me painting in the woods.
As the summer ends, I like to go up our cabin in the woods and get it ready for the winter. Our little place is in the Adirondacks, and the winters there are quite severe. So making sure our piece of heaven is protected is important.
The biggest chore is staining the cabin, sheds, chairs, and anything exposed to the elements. This needs to be done at least every other year. The problem is that for most of my life, no one has ever accused me to being “handy.” I can change out a light bulb and clean out a gutter, but that’s about the extent of my handyman skills.
Luckily, I know a lot of people in the area who know how to do everything. I feel like I’ve been good for the Upstate New York economy. And over the years, through osmosis, I’ve learned a few things form these talented craftspeople to the point where I can now do a few chores myself. I believe I can do some things quite well, in my humble opinion. The most useful skill I’ve developed is painting and staining. I now know the paints and stains that are best for for different surfaces: oil-based or water-based. It is important to know the difference. I love the good folks at the local ACE Hardware who are the best resource ever.
This past week I spent at the cabin sanding staining and painting. The hardest part of the process for me is waiting for the stain, varnish, or pain to dry so I can put on a second coat. That second coat is the real key to protecting wood, and sometimes a third coat is needed. For those of you who know me, it may come as no surprise that patience is not one of my virtues.
The water-based stains and paints dry quite quickly while the oil-based varnish needs a full day. In the past, I made the mistake of putting on a second oil coat too early and the results were not great. I’ve even had to sand it all off and start again. The thing is, when painting is done with patience, the end product is magnificent. The wood grain is beautiful, rich, and adds so much to the beauty of the place. A little patience goes a long way in painting and in business.
As you think about becoming a more patient, effective leader, here are a few simple suggestions I’d recommend.
1. Be very clear on the goal(s) you are trying to achieve.
2. Make sure everyone knows the deadlines and client expectation.
3. Let everyone know what their specific roles are and where they are needed.
4. Be sure you have the resources needed to deliver on promises made to the client.
5. Get updates from team members to ensure everyone is in the loop and on target.
6. Then, get out of the way and trust your people to do their jobs.
The rule is this: be patient, but check in. Don’t hover and interrupt, instead let your people work through the process properly, be there for them when they need you, and you will be delighted with the end-result.
Just like painting, there is a process of patience that can practiced in business that, when followed, can deliver great results that everyone can be proud of. The final product will be beautiful, protected, and ready for the hard times are sure to come.
I hope you can lead with patience in your work and life. I would love to hear your stories of how you lead with patience.
