by CPT Benjamin L. Kenneaster
Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is “timing”. It waits on the right time to act, for the right principle and in the right way.-Fulton J. Sheen
A Forgotten Principle
An article from Psychology Today makes the case that we live in the age of impatience. In my limited military career, I have witnessed this truth in various individuals, organizations, and myself. The cost of persistent impatience is bigger than we realize. If we don’t slow down, our careers, relationships, and organizations will fail. Clearly, there is an urgent and unrecognized need to be reminded of the power of patience to enhance individual and collective success in the United States Army. Specifying challenges and presenting realistic solutions will equip readers to lead more balanced, fulfilled, and efficient careers and lives.
Does the Army believe patience is important?
The phrase “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast” is often quoted in U.S. Army culture because of its applicability to almost any task. Whether you’re ensuring a good sight picture at the rifle range or preparing an effective brief to senior leaders, this comforting phrase reminds soldiers that we are most efficient when we slow down.
Beyond common Army quips, there are plenty of formal examples that highlight the importance of patience. The U.S. Army is bound by strict doctrine, regulations, and values that cite patience as essential. Such examples include Operations (ADP 3-0), which explains the value of tactical patience, and Mission Command (ADP 6-0), which cites patience as empowering effective mission command. Additionally, Army Leadership (ADP 6-22) denotes patience as key to a Soldier’s character.
Unfortunately, soldiers and organizations still struggle with consistently practicing patience. To better understand why this is the case, we must specify select challenges and offer actionable solutions. The areas most devoid and in need of patience are our careers, relationships, and organizations.
Organizations
A few minutes at any combat arms unit will reveal that formations, typically the lowest echelons, are ordered to complete a mountain of tasks with limited resources. As a result, units often defer to a list of priorities that offer little clarity. This forces leadership to rush to failure, preventing them from ensuring tasks–ideally the most important ones–are completed with care.
Complaining about the orders process and task saturation at lower echelons won’t accomplish much, but it does offer a glimpse into the reality in many Army units. From my junior perspective, I believe the only means of countering the threat of impatience from an organizational perspective is twofold.
Soldiers– regardless of rank, but especially decision-makers- must remember the importance of patience on a routine basis. This can be implemented rapidly through discussion during briefings, meetings, or counseling sessions. Secondly, units must learn how to employ patience and practice it with efficiency and timeliness to achieve assigned missions and make the most of the present.
A more specific remedy is explained in a Military Mentor article, which concludes that sustainable priorities, communicating expectations, and expressing gratitude are some of the best ways that we can practice and develop patience. Additionally, a Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management research paper revealed that the decision-making process of leaders who exhibit patience as a character strength directly correlates with organizational success.
Careers
Impatience is a serious threat to our careers. An Association of the United States Army (AUSA) article makes this clear by stressing that success requires lifelong patience. Too often we look toward the future to envision a next step, rank, task, or goal that rarely comes to fruition the way we imagined.
On multiple occasions, I find myself planning my next steps for the day, week, month, and year during primary military education (PME). In those moments, I create unneeded anxiety while also removing myself from an educational opportunity. Most people, soldiers in this case, are so concerned about what is next that we regularly fail to live in the present. This is a limiting factor for our careers that we don’t often realize.
Failure to remain patient throughout our careers can result in burnout, poor performance, depression, and many other negative outcomes. To overcome this common challenge, we must remember that we live moment to moment with no guarantee of the future. We must apply a heavy dose of patience in our personal and professional lives with discipline and humility. This isn’t to say that planning and reflection aren’t wise, but if we are centered on each moment while balancing future considerations, then we will be more effective people with more successful careers.
Relationships
Relationships are yet another area where impatience proves detrimental. Soldiers of all ranks are generally quick to speak and slow to listen. Most are guilty of planning what to say next instead of truly listening to their peers, subordinates, or superiors. Interpersonal tact devoid of patience is therefore less effective at cultivating healthy relationships.
A U.S. Army article highlights a Soldier’s growth over their career and an acceptance of patience as their best-learned trait due to its ability to enhance and foster relationships. Typically, we prefer to do what’s best for ourselves and often water down relationships or label them as irrelevant because they slow us down. This perspective is counterproductive to an interdependent Army and will limit growth.
Improving relationships through patience will also reveal much more of the world than we knew existed. In the book The Necessity of Strangers, Alan Gregerman makes the case that intentional relationships are necessary for fulfillment and success. He also claims that patience with strangers is key to expanding perspectives and enhancing our lives. A few practical steps to ensure we are patient in our relationships are to listen more than we speak, slow down our thoughts, concentrate on the moment, and regularly reflect on how we can further cultivate our existing relationships.
Smooth and Fast
The U.S. Army can’t eradicate impatience in its formations, and individuals can’t always remain patient. However, we can reprioritize patience and strive for its fusion with our busy lives and hectic operations. Relationships, careers, and organizations are only a few areas where impatience spreads its poison, but there is ample opportunity to learn from mistakes and slow down. From a new Soldier to a senior leader, we must all remind ourselves of the power of patience to refine our mentality and ensure we’re both smooth and fast.
CPT Kenneaster is a student at the Military Intelligence Captain Career Course. He is a space operations officer and has served as an infantry platoon leader, a forward support company distribution platoon leader, and an infantry company executive officer. He has a Bachelor of Science in biology, a minor in military science, and a Master of Science in international relations. (LinkedIn)
