A good friend of mine, Jon Busack, recently said something profound: “It takes patience to be more patient.” Before you say “duh,” think about what he’s saying: Patience is often lacking in the workplace, yet it’s a totally learnable skill.

In the passage that’s read at most weddings, we hear that “Love is patient, love is kind …” The list goes on with another 12 items, but I happen to believe that “patience” is listed first for a reason. My hypothesis is that patience is a necessary foundation to accomplish the rest!

Perhaps you’re the type of person who pushes for everything to happen yesterday. Yes, that gets a lot done. But too often, the results aren’t making the QA people jump up and down with joy. Besides, there’s a way to get fast results that doesn’t require bowling people over.

If I can be so bold, being patient with others requires first being patient with yourself. You might be one who says “Oh, I can be patient with others, but not with myself!” To which I reply, “Do you have a turnip on you?” Whenever I ask people that they shake their head no. What about a paper clip? Again no?

My response is “It’s pretty tough to give people something you don’t have.”

When Jon says it takes patience to be more patient, I’d like to add that the best place to start is with yourself. Try it. The next time you catch yourself being impatient with yourself, take a pause and a deep breath. Then take another breath. I suggest you mentally say “I choose to be patient with myself.” … I’ll bet you’ll notice your blood pressure has dropped and you can think clearer.

After you’ve done this a few times, consider how others will think clearer when you are patient with them. And, how much better their work will be as a result.

For those who like to push, I have a saying for you: “Slower up front equals faster down the road.” In other words, the few seconds you invest in being patient with yourself —and others— pays off with faster results in the end.

Don’t believe me? Try it for two weeks. Watch what happens. It’s tougher to do everything else without a foundation of patience. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Filed in Opinion, Motivation, Management, Leadership, Team Building, Workplace, Corporate Culture