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Situational Impatience

April 15, 2003

"Consider the following list of common work-related situations that can create feelings of impatience.  Do any of them try your patience on a regular basis?

* Time crunches; things not being done as quickly as you'd like
* Things not being done right the first time
* Not having the tools or information you need to complete a task
* Dealing with bureaucracy
* Others who don't have the skills to complete their assigned tasks
* Others who don't catch on quickly to what you want them to do
* Others who don't carry through on their assigned tasks
* Inconsistent messages from others
* Others who don't do tasks the way you would
* Too many people needing your time and attention
* Not enough time to do your work with real quality
* Last-minute crises or requests that totally upset your day or plans
* Having to wait for others
* Traffic, bad weather, broken equipment, or other inconveniences that delay your being productive or timely

By being more aware about the specific situations that create impatience, we can become more proactive in dealing with them (Ventrella, 2001, p. 157)."

Reference:  Ventrella, S.W. (2001).  The power of positive thinking in business: ten traits for maximum results.  New York:  The Free Press

What are some proactive ways you have of dealing with situations that create impatience?

The Power of Positive Thinking in Business is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/

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Created: 2008-12-22, Updated: 2009-01-09