The ability to remain calm, composed, and thoughtful when progress is slower than desired or when faced with obstacles, delays, or differing perspectives. It involves managing emotional reactions, listening deeply, allowing others time to contribute and grow, and maintaining focus on long-term goals.
“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” Napoleon Hill
Barriers to patience
Unrealistic standards: Leaders with high or perfectionist expectations often become impatient when their teams do not meet these ideals, leading to frustration and disorganisation.
Not understanding others: Leaders who do not take time to understand their team members’ capacities and working styles may struggle to delegate effectively, resulting in miscommunication and inefficiency.
Over-action-orientated: Leaders who are “action junkies” may rush into decisions without proper planning or consideration, creating disarray and confusion within their teams.
Too clever: Highly intelligent leaders may assume others can operate at their speed, leading to impatience when their teams need more time for tasks or decisions, causing disorganised workflows.
Poor listening skills: Leaders who do not listen carefully often miss vital information, leading to misaligned priorities, unclear instructions, and a lack of appropriate pace.
Self-management challenges: Leaders who struggle to manage their emotions may find it difficult to maintain order during stressful situations, resulting in chaotic environments.
Dislike of processes: Leaders who resist processes and prefer immediate action may overlook the importance of structure and procedure, causing disorganisation within teams.
Inappropriate communication style: Leaders who frequently interrupt or dominate discussions may demoralise team members, hindering effective collaboration and leading to organisational difficulties.
Arrogance: Leaders who believe their way is the only way may alienate their teams, reducing motivation and cohesion, disrupting the organisation.
Impatience with complexity: Leaders who dislike dealing with complex problems or processes may jump to conclusions, bypassing necessary steps and creating confusion or inefficiencies.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Lao Tzu
Enablers of patience
Learn to listen: If you often interrupt others, try pausing before you speak. This gives people space to finish their thoughts and improves communication. Gradually increase your tolerance for silence or hesitation in conversation.
Manage your body language: Impatience is often signalled non-verbally through fidgeting, eye-rolling, or tense posture. These cues can make others uncomfortable or rushed. Ask trusted colleagues to help you identify your most frequent impatience signals so you can create a calmer atmosphere.
Understand your triggers: Certain people or situations may cause you to lose patience more easily. Identify these triggers and prepare calming tactics in advance. Focus on the issues at hand, not the person, and guide conversations back to the point without rushing.
Keep calm and carry on: Your frustration may show when things do not move at your desired pace. Develop coping mechanisms to remain composed when faced with delays. Deep breathing or counting to ten can help you stay in control and avoid emotional reactions.
Reduce your ego: If you believe you are always right, it is easy to overlook others’ contributions. Make a conscious effort to listen without judgment. Accept that others’ ideas may be valuable, even if you disagree initially.
Be more approachable: People are less likely to share insights or ideas with you if they sense you are impatient. Cultivating a steady, receptive demeanour encourages the flow of information.
Slow down problem solving: Do not rush to offer solutions immediately. Instead, focus on defining and exploring the problem thoroughly with your team. Lead with open questions to allow solutions to emerge organically.
Set and follow checkpoints: Rather than constantly checking in, establish agreed milestones or percentages of completion. Trust your team to work independently between check-ins, giving them the space to do great work.
Spread leadership: Avoid relying solely on your own problem-solving. Encourage your team to bring their own solutions before offering yours, reinforcing that you value their expertise and time.
Focus on long-term development: Impatience can hinder others’ development. Recognise that growth takes time and avoid micro-managing. Provide challenging tasks, give constructive feedback, and allow people the time and space to develop their skills meaningfully.
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” Joyce Meyer
Patience reflection questions
How could you improve how well you listen without interrupting? What steps can you take to allow more silence or pause before responding? How might listening more fully improve your relationships and outcomes?
How might your body language communicate impatience? How could you adjust your body language to appear calmer and more engaged? Who can you ask to provide feedback on your non-verbal cues?
How well do you maintain composure when things do not go as planned? What are your typical emotional responses when faced with delays? What calming techniques help you stay centred?
Who or what tends to cause you to lose patience most often? How could you be more aware of what triggers your impatience? How could you prepare yourself to handle these situations more calmly in future?
Are there moments when you dismiss others’ input too quickly? Could you slow down and ask more questions before reacting? How might giving more attention to others’ ideas positively affect team dynamics?
How approachable are you when others want to share information or ideas? How could you create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing, even if they are uncertain?
How could you improve how you involve others in problem-solving processes? How could you create more opportunities for your team to define problems? What could be the long-term benefits of this ownership?
How often do you ask for updates before they are due, and what is your motivation for doing so? How might giving your team more autonomy to manage tasks independently improve their performance?
How comfortable are you with allowing others to lead on solutions? How would this shift in dynamic influence your team’s development and confidence?
How could you focus more on long-term development rather than immediate outputs? What steps can you take to ensure you are giving constructive feedback at a pace that suits the individual?
“Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.” Saint Francis de Sales
Explore related leadership resources
To further develop this capability, examine how it intersects with other core leadership dimensions across the libraries:
Leadership library:
- Groundedness: Maintain your internal stability and composure, providing a steady presence for your team even when external timelines are shifting.
- Integrity: Ensure your commitment to long-term values remains consistent, resisting the urge to take unethical shortcuts just to accelerate progress.
- Navigating Uncertainty: Use patience as a strategic tool to wait for more information or clarity before making high-stakes commitments in ambiguous situations.
- Self Awareness: Recognise your own triggers for frustration, allowing you to proactively manage your responses when faced with obstacles or slow results.
Supporting libraries
- Ambiguity tolerance (Traits): Leverage your natural capacity to stay productive when the “finish line” is not yet clear or the path toward it is evolving.
- Objective thinking (Traits): Separate your personal feelings of urgency from the reality of the situation, evaluating delays based on logic rather than emotion.
- Ego monitoring (Agility): Keep your need for personal validation through “quick wins” in check, allowing the time necessary for collective team growth and success.
- Impulse control (EQ-i): Strengthen your ability to resist hasty actions or speech, ensuring your interventions are thoughtful and timed for maximum impact.
Continue exploring: Return to the Leadership Library to view the full directory of competencies and resources.