Leadership: Setting Expectations

Cris: There's not a lot of patience nowadays. Everyone expects the overnight success, instant gratification. How do you explain patience and process in the midst of that?

Sam Shriver, Senior Vice President at The Center for Leadership Studies: I think leaders in all eras have had challenges of different kinds.

In years past it was waiting on the world to change. Change took a long time, and it was difficult to see results. Now, you're right, it's almost like there's too much information, and there's too much change, and everybody wants everything right now.

A challenge that leaders face is spending time, up front, making sure we know where we're going, and we know what we're doing. And really setting expectations around the idea that this is going to take some time.

If you're throwing a steak on the grill, that's different than if you're slow cooking a brisket. It's ready when it's ready. Hang in there. We want to make sure that it's good, not that it's on your plate at a predetermined time. 

I think it is absolutely a leadership challenge to manage a lot of that instant, right now, response mentality. 

(Hire Cris to develop your online content. cris@bandstofans.com)