This is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
While patience is an essential leadership attribute, it also demands skills more often associated with management. Our ability to lead patiently requires us to manage the situations in which we find ourselves.
Understand the situation and establish the facts. A patient leader understands the situation. How important is this problem? How urgent is its resolution? You must leverage your skills and the skills of others to gain an understanding of the situation you face.
Have the patience to create your plan. Patience requires us to know what we are going to do. Planning is a critical management function that enables leaders to build stakeholder confidence.