patience

Framing soft skills

We also tend to assume that those who look or think like us make better employees. We believe that someone who went to a certain university will perform better simply because we don’t know how else to measure their potential. And what we are beginning to understand is that it’s not difficult to measure what truly makes a difference. It usually comes down to human skills, for example, persistence, grit, and kindness. It’s about people who can encourage others to speak up. When we bring together the right mix of individuals, they consistently outperform those who score well on these false indicators of success.

What’s missing from this picture? Patience, situational awareness, and the core of teamwork, which is the opposite of bullying. When we’re fully present, aware of what’s happening, and act on it, the workplace thrives. It’s far better than simply shouting, “March faster!” while oblivious to the fact that you’re heading straight off a cliff.

What role do you play on the team?

Reading people involves observing their behaviour, body language, verbal cues, and emotions to understand their thoughts, feelings, and intentions. The greatest advantage to possessing the skill of reading people is that it immensely improves our ability to communicate with them. Understanding is much deeper than knowledge, as it delves into the depths of comprehension, encompassing not just what is known but also what is felt and perceived. I think the thoughts and emotions of others serves as a cornerstone for achieving success, positioning us in a realm where empathy reigns supreme. While many may profess to possess knowledge about us, genuine understanding remains a rare gem amidst the masses.

The essence of our character

Two things define you in life:

  1. Your patience when you have nothing, and

  2. Your attitude when you have everything.

When you find yourself in moments of scarcity or when things aren't falling into place, your patience becomes a testament to your resilience and strength. It's during these times that your ability to endure, persist, and stay composed truly defines you. On the other hand, when you have abundance and success, your attitude speaks volumes about your humility, gratitude, and generosity. How you carry yourself, treat others, and handle success illuminates your true nature. It's easy to lose perspective or become complacent when surrounded by plenty, but maintaining a humble and gracious demeanour r reflects a deep-seated understanding of what truly matters in life. I think your ability to weather the storms with patience and your grace in times of plenty are the things that shape your identity and reflect the core values which will guide you through life's various stages and circumstances.

You just never know

Sometimes it’s hard to behave with patience when the rest of my life is run on efficiency. If you understand yourself then it should easier to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, for example, if they are having a tough time or are angry, it’s a good idea to not just dive in and respond to their behaviour. It makes more sense to stop and think about why this person is behaving like that and ask yourself where this behaviour is coming from? Understand it, and if they are just responding emotionally to something and you respond emotionally in return, this behaviour will not get you anywhere. So, it makes sense to hold back, wait and find out the real reason for their outburst.

You can lead without a title

Leadership is no longer about your position, it’s more about your passion for excellence and making a difference. It’s the execution that takes focus, effort, discipline and patience. In business, if you take care of the relationship the money will follow. If you obsess about giving customers 10 times the value they expect, they will beat a path to your door. That’s what this rule you mention is all about; remembering to wow customers, and teammates, every time you have the privilege to encounter them.

“To have the results that very few have, we must be willing to start doing the things that very few are willing to do.”
— Robin Sharma

An important subject for leaders to study is rationality, I mean being able to correctly conclude a rational, sensible course based on information. As a leader it’s also important to let everybody around you be helpful, but then put that through your own mental computer and make sure what you do is the product of what you’ve concluded based on all the input. I think developing rationality based on all the input is a true sense of leadership.

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The two things that define us

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patience.jpeg

A wise old man once told me that two things define us:
1. Your patience when you have nothing, and
2. Your attitude when you have everything.


My period of self-isolation ended last night and I am “officially” free to go outdoors. Now more than ever, I think it’s so important to tune in, look inward and listen to you intuition. It’s so easy to forget how to listen to that inner voice. This morning I took a moment to enjoy the silence and confirmed to myself how grateful I am to have come through B.1.351 (the South African variant) without any major symptoms.


Now we finally have an opportunity to focus on what matters most to us, make changes - and what better time to change your life than when it’s already changing?