Not patience? Let’s line up at the starting line and let’s go! We don’t have time to wait for stragglers. Last one in is a rotten egg.
If this is not you, you certainly know the type: Impatient, restless. can”t sit still. It works really well for certain tasks and totally sucks at others. Perhaps, you have heard the African proverb:
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
And, you probably know it from life experience. People who are impatient tend to be driven, fast thinking and fast moving. Many times they are successful due to their individual performance. We all need some of those on our team especially in new businesses.
They can flame out as the level of complexity grows to require systems and process. Or, they can be very good at creating systems and processes and they suck at following them. Unless it is their own creation.
So how do you use them, or how do you be them and be in a team?
Here are some suggestions:
Be clear on the goal, the vision or the Objective and Key Results. (OKR’S). This is SO soothing to the restless. The finish line is clear.
Tell them what behavior you expect from them. For example: No eye rolling. Don’t interrupt others on the team. Just write it down and then bullet point the top 3 points you want to make when it is your turn.
Teach them to listen: Your job today is to listen to everyone else and summarize what each team member contributed. Perhaps you could challenge them to describe how each team member felt. or how committed they were to the subject. They may sense more than they or you realize and that skill should be encouraged.
Ultimately, if they want to go far, they have to learn to go together. Patience and teaching others what they know and do instinctively will help them get there.
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