One of the things that makes you a leader is that you get things done. You are known for your accomplishments; you move mountains quickly and efficiently. Right now you’re on a roll – over the last few years, you’ve made huge impact on your company, your organization, and/or your community – maybe even the world (it’s becoming easier to do so with the internet). At some point, you will hit some bumps (or maybe even boulders) in the road.

I’d like to register just a word or two of caution to you when things get tough. The first is that change doesn’t always happen at the pace you’d like. The second is to keep going when the going gets tough.

Patience and perseverance. You must have both. Together, and at the same time. In this world I’ve learned that there are very few quick fixes, despite what you might hear from marketers. That cream that will get rid of wrinkles in two weeks or the diet that will help us lose 20 pounds in two weeks are fairy tales. So it is with most good outcomes – they often take more time than we’d like, requiring you to have a calm demeanor and firm determination.

As you change the world, remember these:

Patience is the ability to stay calm when things aren’t going the way you wish. For fast paced, high achieving leaders, this often means you need to understand that not everyone and everything moves at your velocity. You also might want to reflect on the changes you need to make in order to speed things up. A sense of urgency is not a bad thing when major changes need to happen, but it needs to be communicated calmly. Repeated communication of deadlines is one of the simplest things to do. Yet I speak with leaders all the time who are frustrated that their staff haven’t completed things by that secret deadline that only the leader knows about. 

Perseverance is the act of persisting despite forces that keep you from achieving your goal. The quote “Everything looks like a failure in the middle” (Rosabeth Moss Kanter) is often true. When you are in the midst of transition, things get messy. The work sometimes becomes overly complicated and bogged down. Your ability to persevere, to be that shining light who leads others through the swamp may be the only thing that will make the goal possible. Believing – and communicating that you believe in the vision or goal – may be the key to  getting your team (and yourself) through to the end.

As you are changing the world remember that you may also need to change yourself to see it through. Exercising patience and perseverance is key.

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