In an era of instant gratification, we lose sight of the importance of patience. Patience is simply understanding that things will happen over time. In the continuous improvement space, it is easy for a project leader to want to solve the problem immediately. They can see the endpoint of the Lean Six Sigma project and because time is money, they want to get there as quickly as possible. However, I’d encourage you to look at your process with patience. When you work a process and don’t rush it, you are generally more efficient and achieve a more effective result.
Looking back when I first started Acuity Institute over ten years ago, my goal was to service the needs of one client by training three students online. I did not view this as a one-and-done training, and in my heart I knew that Acuity would evolve and grow over time, but I didn’t know how exactly this would occur. I relied heavily on my confidence in our team and the good work we do and I believed we could achieve amazing heights. Acuity Institute started out serving 3 students in 1 country and today we serve thousands of students and corporations in over 90 countries. The important lesson for me has been to be patient with the process and know that as long as you are making forward progression, you will get there eventually. I learned to respect the journey.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or Lean Six Sigma project manager, remember not to get so focused on the destination that you do not respect patience. Focus on the individual tasks, the milestone efforts and learning along the way knowing that the culmination of all your efforts is bringing you to that endpoint. Take advantage of the journey and realize that as long as you do not allow yourself to become stagnant, and you make forward progress every day, you will make it to your destination.
