Patience, Grasshopper!
My father could NOT drive! But, I rode with him everywhere, gritting my teeth, clenching my door handle, and grabbing at the dashboard. But, what an adventure! Not once did he flinch, get upset at people honking at him or scream obscenities back to those he had cut-off. He just kept a contented look on his face, and kept on driving. He had great patience!
But, honestly, there have been times when someone has actually made my head hurt because they could not grasp a simple concept. Of course that has only happened to me, right? I am certain you have never had reason to throw your hands up in the air and shout, “I give up!” Or maybe you have never wanted to ask someone, “Have you bumped your head?” Surely, you have never wanted to call someone a demeaning name. Or perhaps you actually did! Because, after all, they are simply not listening to what you are saying. They are just not picking up what you are putting down. And, that can be frustrating.
A guy once said to me, "you have the patience of an oyster." I went home and complained to my husband that I had been insulted. My husband explained how the comment was actually a compliment, meaning patience is truly a worthy virtue. Nevertheless, we all tend to run out of patience when we think others are argumentative, impractical, stubborn, or complete knuckleheads. And, yes, repeating ourselves can often be tiring and frustrating. And, yes, stating our case may be met with resistance or worse—silence. But… leadership requires patience, and it has to be cultivated.
In other words, patience is not just counting to 10, although that technique might help a bit. Patience has to be practiced to maintain composure in the face of challenges or delays. Patience has to be trapped in our minds and hearts so that it becomes a part of our daily routine and exhibited even during our most difficult times. Patience has to become part of our leadership arsenal and demonstrated even when someone pushes us to a boiling point or causes us to drive off the road.