PATIENCE is something that most of us working in sales are not good at.
There seems to be a direct correlation between being driven for results and lack of patience.
Patience is something I learned through working out, when I started I wanted changes now and would get discouraged if I didn’t see immediate results. Now two years later I know that getting a result in my fitness routine takes discipline, time and effort, and that sometimes when you think you are not making progress something happens to remind you that you are. Like last week when I had to run through porter airport with 20 minutes to make my flight. Running full speed with a carry on up two escalators and through the tunnel, I was thankful for the laps that we run during our classes at my local gym. It came in handy just when I was not expecting it to.
So how do you know when something you are doing is going to pay off?
You don’t, but there will be times like my run last week that the hard work and effort that you put in will be needed. In critical moments that’s when you find out how much your efforts pay off.
Leadership is like this. Learning and developing new skills takes time and a commitment. Reading, watching video’s or even taking courses does take time and staying relevant as a leader is critical to being successful in today’s dynamic workforce. Leading different generations demands more of our leadership, understanding what motivates different people is a full-time job.
Leading a team needs patience and a commitment of your time. Building and leveraging talent requires that you listen, coach, train and mentor. Choosing when to do what is the art of leadership. So how do you know when to do what? How do you stop your self from doing everything because you want results and think that you can do it better?
Here are my top tips for leading others with patience. Especially at this time of year when more and more first-time job seekers are taking up seasonal jobs in retail.
1. Think long-term, not immediate. What you invest in today can pay off in the future. Not everything is going to deliver a result today. It takes 30 days to change a habit, however, to get the result just like training and running laps repetition is vital. As a leader of others invest your time, repeat yourself often and then allow them to practice what they have learned.
2. Break down big ideas into practical daily activities. Again repetition builds core ability. Just like working out may take one hour a day to improve overall health results, it’s the same for developing new skills in new employees. It may take them multiple times to get it. Don’t get frustrated, get PATIENT.
3. Adjust your style. While I am working out my coach makes me adjust my stand to get the best result. I may be doing a specific exercise one way, but with a slight adjustment, the results are tremendous. A slight modification in your tone, communication style or a direction may make the difference to the person you are coaching and training. Always be aware of your style and how it influences your team reaching their goals.
4. Keep going. Even when you don’t see the results you want, keep going. This was a big lesson learned for me. Now two years later I can honestly say I am starting to see the results of my hard work and if I continue to put in the effort, the results will get better and better. Compounded actions over time get results. Do not forget this when you are leading a team. Sometimes especially when people leave and new people join it can feel like you are doing the same thing all over again. And you are! Have patience with your newbies and keep going.
5. Consistency. Like working out consistency and routine is essential to achieve the desired result. It may not happen overnight, but I can promise that patience with consistency will build overall long-term results not just quick wins.
Put these into practice, and I can bet that your team will appreciate your leadership style and over time you will get the results that you want!
Want to learn more about leadership skills, download the intentional leadership Ebook. This Ebook is 60 pages long with weekly practical activities to complete that over time will develop your leadership skills.