The Role of Patience in Leadership

Patience is not synonymous with complacency or inaction; rather, it is the ability to remain calm and composed while navigating challenges and uncertainties. Effective leaders understand that patience is not a sign of weakness but a strategic strength.

Patience helps them in building trust among team members. When a leader demonstrates patience, team members feel heard and valued. This trust fosters stronger working relationships and increases team cohesion.

In any workplace, conflicts are bound to arise. Patient leaders approach conflicts with a level head, seeking to understand all sides of an issue before making decisions. This often leads to more balanced and fair resolutions.

Patience enables leaders to empower their team members to take ownership of their tasks and make decisions. Not every decision results in a positive outcome or a desired result. Leaders often rush or micromanage in those trying times out of their anxiety to give their best shot at it. They might have the intent to lead from the front, however, when they show their anxiety and unhappiness while doing so, they stifle the creativity and growth of their team members; they dent the self-confidence of their team members.

Rushed decisions can lead to costly mistakes. Patient leaders take the time to gather information, consider various perspectives, and make informed decisions that benefit the organisation in the long run.

Leaders who practice patience are less likely to succumb to stress and burnout. This, in turn, sets a positive example for their teams to prioritise well-being and work-life balance.

The Benefits of Leading with Patience

A patient leader creates an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns. This leads to higher morale and job satisfaction. Patience encourages open and honest communication. Team members are more likely to share their thoughts and concerns when they know their leader is willing to listen patiently.

While it may seem counterintuitive, patience can actually improve productivity. US Navy SEALs and other such rapid-response special forces over their years of experience have understood the importance of patience. US Navy SEALs famously have a belief that “Slow is smooth and Smooth is fast.” Rushed decisions can lead to rework and delays, whereas well-considered decisions save time and resources.

Patience fosters a focus on long-term goals rather than short-term gains. Patient leaders are more likely to develop sustainable strategies that lead to long-term success. Patience equips leaders with the resilience needed to weather storms and bounce back from setbacks. It helps leaders maintain a positive outlook even in challenging times.

Cultivating Patience as a Leader

We must actively listen to our team members without interrupting or rushing to judgment. Showing genuine interest in what they have to say helps. We understand this, but in the rush of the moment, we tend to sermonise, sometimes admonish; and sometimes, on the opposite end of the spectrum, celebrate prematurely.

We have to avoid setting unrealistic deadlines or expectations in the name of ambition. We must give our team and ourselves adequate time to achieve goals. We have to embrace uncertainty; we know, not everything will go as planned, and unforeseen challenges will arise. Embracing uncertainty and viewing it as an opportunity for growth will raise our position in the minds of our teams.

Sometimes, taking a pause or a short break can do wonders. They clear our minds and reduce stress. Stepping away from a problem for a while can lead to better solutions. We must encourage feedback from our team members and be open to criticism. Leaders have to use feedback as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Leaders have to model patience in their day-to-day behaviours. The team will often follow the path the leader sets. So a patient leader, composed leader sets a culture of focus, commitment and collaboration in the organisation.

In the whirlwind of leadership, patience is the anchor that keeps us grounded. It is not a sign of weakness but a testament to strength and wisdom. Leaders who lead with patience create an environment of trust, respect, and resilience. They inspire their teams to excel and adapt in the face of challenges.

Leading with patience is a vital and often underestimated aspect of successful leadership.

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It is possible!

In our mythological text, Ramayan, a bunch of monkeys were able to do what nobody in that time could even dream of. They had no know-how and wisdom to get this done. Their power was no match with the powers they were trying to conquer. The obstacles before them were incredibly hard. Yet they succeeded!

Getting extraordinary results with a team of ordinary people is not only possible but has been achieved by many successful leaders and organizations. Are there lessons to be learned?

A couple of lessons worth emulating:

Leaders communicated a clear and inspiring vision to their teams. When people understand the bigger picture and the impact their work can have, they become more motivated and aligned. ISRO scientists on the mission knew that they were onto something spectacular, and they could directly contribute to the mission of reaching the moon. They would achieve what nobody else in their circle has ever done. Moreover, they would make their near and dear ones immensely proud. Probably, this was the biggest gift they could give to their friends, families, and relatives. Financial rewards, certificates and bonuses did not matter for them. They trusted their leader’s vision and were on a mission despite several challenges that their daily lives were inundated with!

These exceptional leaders identify and utilise each team member’s strengths. Ordinary people often have unique talents that can be harnessed to contribute significantly to the team’s success. Often a firm’s structure, description of the roles, and organisational processes that help the workflow in a certain manner become massive debacles on the way of using each team member’s aspirations and strengths. Strong leaders often bend the rules a bit and show flexibility to make minor tweaks in the organisation’s structure, systems and processes to get things going. While it is often argued that large organisations need systems, processes and rules to function, strong leaders make a few exceptions here and there keeping the ethical code of conduct and spirit of the organisation intact. Such innovation allows them enough elbow room to function. They take care not to break the cultural fabric of the firm; rather they make it blossom further. This is a tightrope walk and they do this adeptly.

Why the old practices have not been working?

When leaders want better outcomes, they bring in additional bonuses, track performance closely, publish leaderboards, keep nudging their teams and sometimes, they will whip and punish the folks on the slow lane. Certainly, these are the tried and tested methods! But, the large question is if this is relevant in 2023.

A large part of the workforce looks at their work life with as much importance as they give to the other aspects of their life. Friends, family, passion and interest have become much more important than what they were for the employees a couple of decades ago. As our socio-economic changes have been taking shape, today’s workforce expects a lot more than the monetary rewards from their work. A significant number of them expect a connection with the organisation’s purpose and ethical standards. Factors such as personal development opportunities, respect at work, freedom to operate, trust levels among colleagues and camaraderie were always important. However, they are more important for today’s employees than the ones in the 90’s and before.

Moreover, the work environment is increasingly fast-paced, volatile and dynamic. Hence, we need our workforce to exhibit agility and resilience, act proactively, collaborate and solve problems on their own. They need to demonstrate high levels of ownership of everything they do. Hence, the old methods of rewards and punishment, nudges and whips to bring the best out of our workforce have been failing. To make things more complex, leaders have the unique challenge of leading their folks in a style very different from what they have been exposed to.

While these strategies can help maximise the potential of ordinary team members, it is also important to recognise that extraordinary results might not always be consistent or guaranteed. The goal is to create an environment that fosters growth, collaboration, and innovation, allowing individuals to exceed their expectations and achieve remarkable outcomes.

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Many Davids are there in every large enterprise.

We have to recognise the Davids and leverage their power. They are agile, innovative and raring to go. Millennials may not have the depth of experience and could sometimes come up with a utopian idea. Yet there could be just one or two that could change the future course.

Google introduced the “20% time” rule in the early 2000s. Their idea payid pokies no deposit bonus was to tap into the creative prowess of their employees. They encouraged them to work on anything interesting to them and they believe that Google would be benefited. As a result of this innovative practice, Google could not only expand the portfolio of its services but some significant innovations happened. GMail was one such and it revolutionised the way people communicated then; one of the most rapid adaptations of a software tool was that of GMail.

Google wasn’t as big as it is today; neither was it too small. They were able to run this programme effectively then. Maybe, they have become too big now and hence, might have not been able to implement it anymore. Hence, we haven’t heard about the success of this idea in recent times. However, the idea remains relevant and inspirational today. There are Davids in the organisation; they go unnoticed in the humdrum business processes that thrive in the firm. Such initiatives not only engage them meaningfully but also bring out their best.

Engagement methods matter.

A.G. Lafley worked in P&G for many years and is widely acclaimed for the innovation culture he built there. He pushed the employees across roles and levels in the organisation to engage with the customers closely. Some of their employees lived at their customers’ homes to learn about the lifestyle of their customers, observe their behaviours, understand their needs better and spot white spaces for P&G to fill.

The methods used by Lafley in various parts of the world worked well in the 90s and 2000s. Will they work across all regions and cultures? Will they work in the current times? Do these methods work in all industry segments? Should an organisation replicate these practices now? The successes of the past are certainly an inspiration, but business leaders have to independently assess their context and accordingly decide the methods that will work well to tap into the energies of their young employees.

Some organisations have found wonderful results in appointing a shadow board for their younger employees. This board works closely with the seniors in the firm and works on critical challenges that their organisation faces. The results have been encouraging.

CEO’s hands-on involvement is essential.

Millennials like speed and do not take hierarchy very seriously. Large organisations, due to their size, behave like Goliaths. They rely on proven methods and do not risk rocking the boat. As a result, they fail to demonstrate speed and personal connection between the layers of managers and the millennials. Senior managers belong to a different generation and experience the gaps in their homes and close circles. However, they often do not relate to this reality when they come to work. This has to change!

CEO has to lead the efforts of walking the talk; she or he has to not only align the management team and introduce meaningful engagement programmes but also, devote time to engage with the ideas, suggestions and project reports brought forth by the special task forces composed of young employees.

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Why collaborate?

Customer preferences have been changing rapidly; technological developments have been taking place faster than ever before; socio-economic changes are impacting employee expectations and behaviours; external environment of legal provisions and financial resources have been evolving fast too. As a result, to succeed in this dynamic world, a business must be agile and run fast.

In the course of day-to-day operations amidst a dynamic environment, a business is likely to face unforeseen challenges and unprecedented obstacles. Leaders at all levels and employees included have to deal with these and find solutions. They will succeed in some cases and fail in some, but they have to find solutions.

One of the ways to make the solution robust, they have to look at the evolving situation from diverse perspectives. This is possible only when the leaders come out of their silos to work together and lead their teams to work collaboratively within the team as well as outside the bounds of the team.

How do we collaborate?

A huge number of people live in nuclear families nowadays and most of these families are small. Thus, the need of sharing ideas, perspectives, troubles, pains, opportunities and happiness is very limited in our lives. We do not grow up with peers in our homes and local communities; our thoughts, ideas, demands and opinions do not get challenged; neither do we need to give in, share and accommodate. Hence, our skills of working together, empathising with others, listening to others, visualising a common goal and working towards it are very limited.

As we start working for an organisation, we are expected to know the goals of the team and work towards them; we have to work alongside our colleagues to give the final output that our organisation produces and delivers to its customers. Hence, we have to learn the skills of collaboration intently and actively. To excel at work, we have to take the initiative ourselves to understand the bigger picture, how we fit in that picture and how we can create a visible impact in the overall scheme of things.

Who drives the collaborative spirit?

Top leaders of an organisation need to have deep faith in the premise of collaboration. Only then, do the next steps flow naturally and sustain over time to yield results. A collaborative organisation engages its employees better and hence, its customers and partners. Thus, the success of collaboration is visible in the objective measurement of customer satisfaction and the NPS (net promoter score) of the stakeholders. The top management of an organisation has to see this and explain it to the rank and file.

Functional leaders take the spirit forward in operationalising it while they take decisions related to recruitment, rewards and recognition, stakeholder management, customer acquisition, service delivery, conflict resolution, design and development. Through each step of the process, employees start listening to the views, opinions and ideas of others, reach out to others proactively, communicate openly, engage with the organisation-wide goals, relate with the team-level goals and walk the extra mile to contribute towards their team goals and organisation-level goals.

Read also:

• #GetTheBestOutofUs: Collaboration by Design
• #BuildingTomorrow: In the Age of Disruption
• #BuildingTomorrow: Making Employees Feel Heard
• How HR Can Create A Better Working Environment For Artists?
• Why Everyone Wins When You Upskill Your Workforce

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We live in a fast-changing world where customer needs and preferences have been continuously evolving, innovations led by technology have been disrupting traditional business models and our aspirations have been changing in tune with the evolution of socio-economic scenarios around us. Covid-19 has imposed quite a lot of unforeseen changes on humanity and we as a race have responded swiftly to it. Organisations have had to adapt quickly to the changes in behaviours and expectations of their stakeholders, right from customers to employees, business partners, governments and the society at large. The pace is unlikely to change in the near future. How do we keep pace in transforming ourselves?

Starts at the top

Climate change and various other sustainability challenges were the talks of the town every now and then over the last decade. The pandemic has brought in changes that seem to be permanent in the way we lead our lives on our mother earth. We must recognise them! People travelled much lesser on the roads; consumption of fossil fuels on avoidable travel and transport declined; our paradigms about the consumption of many products and services have transformed. Many practices which appeared essential at one point in time are now believed to be followed sparingly.

Leaders have to recognise these changes and question their beliefs; recalibrate those and establish new ones. It is not easy! Many of them have been struggling to accept the fact that work can be done remotely, all meetings need not be held in person, all products and services need not be bought after a physical contact or experience, many celebrations and events can be held in a new format without diluting their effect and many such. As a result, some products and services have to revamp themselves, recast their target customers and hence, establish new processes and systems.

Transformation is the spirit

Culturally every family, community or organisation is not open for transformation. As human beings, we all understand the need to transform; some of us do this with ease and some with a lot of difficulties. Each one of us behaves differently to a call for change.

There could be some low hanging fruits that most of us are happy to pluck. Those changes are widely accepted and hence, driving those programmes to achieve the desired results is normally easy. However, these changes may not be adequate for an organisation to succeed holistically. We need all the wheels to run in sync for a vehicle to run smoothly. Hence, we need the culture in the organisation to be that of curiosity, close observation, exploration and innovation. Challenging the status quo and making continual improvements should be the norm.

Leaders have to demonstrate a consultative style of management and encourage diversity of thoughts apart from keeping a tight grip on the operational mechanics of the organisation.

Getting the right people on board

Working in an environment that is continuously evolving means that we recognise the present and the future. Laurels of the past do not mean anything other than one’s confidence to succeed; failures in the past similarly do not mean anything other than one’s determination to succeed. We need people who have an attitude of humility and intelligence to learn with passion, proactiveness and agility to execute with rigour.

Searching for such exquisite talent is not easy. Leaders have to invest their energies in leading this effort and fortifying their organisation with the right talent. Developing the right purpose for the organisation and making progress on the journey is subject to getting their team right. Hence, this is an important and ongoing effort for all the leaders in an organisation.

Ref:

1) https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/reimagining-the-way-businesses-operate

2) https://www.forbes.com/sites/insights-pmi/2019/03/15/the-c-suites-role-in-the-transformation-of-the-project-management-office/?sh=3552df7a6e54

3) https://www.livemint.com/brand-stories/reimagining-leadership-in-the-age-of-disruption-11604378457453.html

4) https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/379399

5) https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/reset-your-business-strategy-in-covid-19-recovery/

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When do we fail to listen?

Many leaders do not walk their talk when it comes to the significance of their human resources. They speak the right things because they want to be experienced as leaders with fine hearts and minds. When it comes to the execution, they do not make the right decisions consistently; some of them do not demonstrate the right behaviours on the floor.

Some leaders believe that they must advise, speak up, present the vision impactfully and show their strength by delivering powerful speeches. They are in a hurry to advise and deliver a lecture than listening and empathising. So, employees do not see a point in expressing their true selves.

Organisations carry out employee surveys annually and build a lot of excitement to participate. Do leaders listen to the voice of the employees gathered in the process? Do all employees care to speak the truth in such exercises? The answer isn’t a consistent and loud ‘yes’.

Moreover, some employees do not speak up as their natural behaviour and hence, do not participate actively in the organisation-wide large-scale activities undertaken by the HR team. Some love their voices to be heard and thus, tend to dominate conversations in feedback sessions, open houses and similar platforms. Sometimes, a topical issue could be the flavour of the season and can mislead the leadership to conclude that their internal environment is extremely positive or negative. In all these cases, we fail to hear the voice of the employee!

How do we turn it around?

The voice and action at the top have to be consistent and genuine. Leaders need to recognise the fact that changes in our society are taking place fast-paced and hence, our workplaces are changing fast. The conversations among the young employees at the workplace are very different from what happened when the current leaders were in their 20s and 30s. Employee expectations now are very different from what they were twenty years ago. Leaders need to understand this and bring about changes in their style and practices. They cannot simply follow the standard operating processes and styles which were practised by their predecessors. It doesn’t matter how iconic their predecessor was and how venerated the practices were twenty years ago. We are on a different course and hence need different strokes.

Our workplaces now have a larger percentage of young people who expect a lot more direct, brief, timely and frequent conversations with their managers about the tasks at hand, plans of the team and the progress being made. The nature of the workplace has changed a lot in the last few quarters due to the onset of COVID19. We use a lot more technology than we did just a few years ago. Communication and engagement among stakeholders have undergone a lot of change; a lot of work has moved to digital platforms; performance management has become a lot more objective than in the past years; reskilling and upskilling have become inevitable. And many more such changes have been all around.

Leaders have to be sensitive to all these and evolve their practices of engaging with employees in multiple ways.

How do we sustain the practices?

Organisations can win in the marketplace only if they can consistently deliver the same experience to their employees, partners, customers and the general public over time. They must make the programmes as routines and make continual changes.

Many well-meaning leaders initiate changes and launch precious initiatives in the organisation; however, they cannot sustain them for several reasons. Organisations hold contests to gather new ideas; some of them select a few and implement them. Though it is not practical to implement all suggestions, employees expect feedback and organisations miss delivering on that expectation. Hence, leaders lose the confidence of their employees in them.

The key to success is in sustaining the best practices, involving employees in making small changes continually, listening to them and communicating proactively with them.

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In the art world, time spent together and rapport is the glue that binds together creatives and the people who work behind the scenes. People will find that the way most art companies operate is very different from the typical corporate setup, which calls for business formality. While the art world’s unconventional standard of operations may encourage creativity to thrive, it may also allow for untoward behaviour to go on in theatres, movie sets, museums, and galleries. Though female artists have evolved and are becoming increasingly vocal as they fight for their rights, sexual harassment and gender inequality in the art world continue to plague India’s women artists. If bullying, sexual harassment, pay issues, and the like occur in prestigious artistic institutions, it’s likely that the same is going on behind the curtains of smaller art organisations. Having a dedicated HR in place in galleries and theatres can help to prevent these problems and create a safer and healthier working environment in the art world.

Use corporate management techniques to ensure job security

In galleries and museums, artists are often praised by collectors for their ability to render lifelike facial features or for creating innovative sculptures using unique techniques, while curators are celebrated for putting together collections that draw in crowds of art enthusiasts . However, they rarely get formal feedback from gallery or museum owners about their work as many art institutions do not have a performance review system in place. HR personnel or consultants may encourage gallery owners to use corporate techniques such as performance reviews and written feedback to reduce feelings of frustration among gallery employees. Moreover, it may help them to feel valued and secure about their job. It may also result in better performance as they’ll be given a general idea on what direction the institution wants to go without stifling their creativity during the process.

Formal complaint procedures should be in place 

Most businesses have formal complaint procedures in place so that employees will know the appropriate steps to take in case they experience bullying or sexual harassment in the workplace. As female artists and gallerists are now becoming increasingly popular and their work becomes more in demand, it’s essential that they are adequately protected from discrimination and harassment so they can continue to make contributions to art and culture. With formal complaint procedures in place in art institutions, those who have experienced harassment of any form in the workplace can expect to see a proper resolution of these issues, and those who have bullied or harassed workers will be held responsible for their actions.

Having a dedicated HR in art institutions can help to create a better, safer, fairer, and more productive working environment for creatives. Whether you’re in front of an audience or working behind the scenes, at the end of the day, feeling supported and protected matters.

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Improve Your Services

When you support your employees, they will support you. From customer service to product development, your workers touch every fact of your business. When they are well trained and aptly motivated, people can unlock creative potential and innovative ideas they never knew they had. Any investment in training and educating your team is an investment in the betterment of your company’s forward-facing services, and your clients and customers will reap the benefits. Learning to fine tune their skills or add to their industry knowledge will allow workers to be more thorough, efficient and productive with their time and resources.

Boost Your Team’s Morale

A recent study showed that happy employees are 12 percent more productive in the workplace. When you help your employees earn college credit online or take classes outside of the workplace, it shows them you are invested not only in the future of the company, but in the future of their hard work. Taking the time or spending the money to upskill your workers will encourage them to reinvest that energy into their career. A team that learns together, grows together, and feeling like a priority to the company will always feels like a win. 

Attract Fresh Talent

It’s no secret that great employees are the key to a great business. Most companies will try anything to attract top industry talent. When your employees enjoy their work and feel challenged in their roles, it shows. This will strengthen your company and naturally draw in the best of the best. Word gets around, and top talent know the right questions to ask during an interview. Many want a company that not only values their skills, but is willing to add to their resume with continuing education, networking opportunities and corporate incentive programs. Set yourself apart by offering immediate training events and down the road, financial aid for degrees.

No matter your industry, investing in your employees is the right thing to do, and the rewards are endless. From better business models to more energetic work flows, your teams will only become more dynamic the more you invest in their education, training and skill sets.

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