In some respects, having a phone full of apps has made me more patient. Granted, I'm impatiently moving among apps every few seconds, checking and sending messages, monitoring steps on my Fitbit, and seeing who is posting photos from where. But patient in that I'm much more calm while waiting in lines when I'm in public. Instead of being my usual impatient self while cooling my heels in non-moving lines, I'm now pre-occupied with my phone. That phenomenon got me thinking about the distinct differences in patience as a strategic advantage versus a disadvantage. Here are 4 examples of each.
Patience as a Strategic Advantage
- It allows you time for strategic thinking and completely evaluating a situation.
- Things have time to fall into place, presenting a clearer strategic view of what’s taking place.
- You're okay with waiting until things calm down, putting you in a better position to make strategic decisions.
- It's likely you're empathetic to challenges others face, even if you don't share them.
Disadvantages of Being Patient
- You miss important opportunities to act while you wait for everything to be in place, even things not absolutely necessary to effectively get started with implementation.
- It's likely you hold out for information that simply confuses or doesn't add any real strategic value in clarifying a situation.
- You ignore the innovative wisdom that comes from going with your instincts and initial perspectives.
- You may too easily make allowances for team members' correctable challenges, compromising overall team performance.
What about you? Do you think it's more of a strategic advantage or a disadvantage to be patient? - Mike Brown
