The more stressed people are, the more impatient they become. When impatient people congregate, mood and morale gets worse…and bad feelings accelerate.

Leaders know the value of patience. Those who exercise it regularly are rewarded by everything from diffusing people’s anxiety and bad moods to making better decisions.

You may not see yourself as patient, but it’s an attribute that will take you farther as a leader.

In the scope of emotional intelligence, patience is a key component to managing self-regulation, which is the ability to control disruptive moods and emotions, both externally to others and internally with yourself.

People who express volatile emotions lead their people on a roller coaster. Is she going to explode at today’s staff meeting? Will he terrify his team to the point where someone just won’t deal with it anymore and walks out?

It’s highly unlikely that an impatient person will change overnight. When people see the benefit, though, they will be more motivated to change. Consider these benefits:

+ A more satisfied (and less stressed) staff,
+ The ability to consider big decisions more thoughtfully, resulting in better results,
+ Higher clarity of thought,
+ An opportunity to enhance your reputation,
+ Setting a positive example to your employees.

Cultivating patience doesn’t happen overnight and the goal isn’t for you to have the patience of a saint. Higher levels of patience, however, can enhance you in known and unknown ways that will only improve your leadership strength.

Header image by Maria/Pexels.