Patience isn’t one of my nobler qualities. Just ask my wife how I react to being stuck behind slow traffic on a two lane country road. Or catch me on a busy work day when the computer decides to freeze in the middle of an important project (thanks Microsoft). I’m guessing that waiting is a problem for quite a few of my readers so maybe this is a timely topic.
This weekend we will be leaving for a nine-day vacation trip, something that has been in the planning stages for nearly two years. The anticipation preceding such an event is sometimes more fulfilling than the actual experience itself. Since I love to research and analyze options there have been more than a few evenings spent searching for the perfect lodging, mapping the route, and choosing a variety of venues for dining and entertainment. This trip will include three other couples so that has added special challenges to the process. When we “hit the road” on Saturday all the waiting will be over and it will be time to enjoy the results of my work.
What is worth the wait for you in your leadership role? Do you anticipate growing personally and professionally in the next twelve months? Is there a succession plan requiring your attention in the not too distant future? Where is your next big challenge coming from? Are you expecting to win a large contract, hire a key executive, present a proposal, or celebrate an employment or business milestone? Is the waiting exciting or nerve-wracking?
Sometimes the frenetic pace of our lives obscures the importance of waiting. We forget that farmers have little control over weather conditions and must patiently wait for the rain and sunshine required to nurture the seeds they have planted. We miss the subtle nuances of a spring breeze that turns the outstretched arms of the wind turbine on a distant ridge. We fail to appreciate the light years of travel that bring images to life amidst the mirrors and cameras of the Hubble telescope. Our rush to accomplish more with less doesn’t serve us well. It’s time for us to rediscover the gift of waiting.
Next week you will need to wait for a new blog entry. I’ve already decided a two week hiatus is needed to recharge my creative batteries and prepare me for another year of writing. You can learn some patience as well while you anticipate what I will write about when I post my next piece. Hopefully, like my vacation trip, it will be worth the wait.
1 comment:
Ken,
I hope your trip is worth the wait. I have been away from your prose for a while but am happy to be back. This topic resonates with me because waiting and patience is probably the number one thing that I have worked on over the past 5 years to become a high level negotiator. It takes so much dicipline to not rush into a deal or to fight off the urge to cop out with a 50/50 offer. My career at RW (when you acoached me) and now at Lutron has proven to me over and over that there is no such thing as a 50/50 deal in business or life. Invariably, it is always a little better for one side than the other and the party that loses their patience and offeres to "split the difference" generally loses the negotiation.
Have a great trip.
Tony Zarzaca
Lutron Electronics Corp., Inc.
National Sales Manager - Commercial Systems
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