BLUF

One of the business skills that became increasingly important during the Covid-19 pandemic was patience and in particular knowing when to be patient.

Summary

For many organisations which prioritise speed and quick fixes, patience is a virtue often over-looked and under-utilised. Jeanne Hardy, a Forbes Council member, contends that businesses should view patience as the ability to endure difficult circumstances, such as the COVID-19 crisis. Hardy identifies the following key areas where leaders need to apply patience:

  • Business planning and budgeting. Pull back on impulsivity and apply more deliberation into the process as the information on which we base our predictions might still be in a state of flux.
  • Work culture.  Associated cultural change, particularly with flexible work models, is notoriously slow and generally require a long-term commitment.
  • Long-term business models. Embrace more sustainable models that emphasise steady growth, purpose-driven values and that improve resiliency against any future crises.

While Hardy’s key areas are aimed at business, they are still applicable within Defence. Consider how developing the ability to exercise patience can help your organisation build resilience in the post-COVID workplace.

Learn more about patience as an important factor in running a business

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