Patience

Interview on Patience with Rachelle Ezechiels

How do you define patience?

Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that forms us to participate in God's divine love. It creates a space where we can seek God first and allow Him to act within us. These actions are then a witness for others as we act with love.

How does the virtue of patience relate to work?

Work, in any context, whether it is independent or with a team, requires patience. Patience enables us to accept what we cannot control, recognize our limitations and weaknesses, and humbly acknowledge the realities we face. It also enables us to remain grateful for our talents and strengths, as well as those that others are graced with, while remaining focused on what we are able to effectively do within our day, both as an individual and as a team.

Why is it important in a work context?

The virtue of patience is important in a work context because we encounter many variables that often require us to be able to maintain our peace as we make decisions to achieve our goals and fulfill our work responsibilities in the face of challenges and difficulties.

How have you personally built on this virtue?

Meditating on Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection, and Mother Mary's joys and sorrows, offers endless opportunities to reflect and grow in the virtue of patience. If our Lord and Blessed Mother had to bear humanity's imperfections out of love, then I too, must bear the weight of my own imperfections and those of others, out of my love for God.

Did somebody mentor you on this? Have you mentored others about Patience?

I guess you can say that Jesus has mentored me through scripture, His life, but more specifically through the sacrament of confession. In experiencing His infinite mercy and patience for me, He teaches me that love is patient, love is kind, and if I am to imitate Him, I need to act with patience too. Through God's love, transformation happens, and what once seemed unattainable is within reach.

I have not officially mentored others about patience, but I have been told by others who have worked with me that they have learned or have been inspired to be patient through my example.  Specifically, people have said that I show patience in the workplace while working with others.  As an example, when someone is struggling to complete a task or assignment or learn a new skill, I will take the time to explain, support, and train employees according to their skill level and needs. By putting in the effort in the short term, the long-term results are achieved and, in most cases, exceeded with the right amount of patience.

How have you lived this virtue at work?

I work with a lot of people on a daily basis, and inquiries can range from small requests to large ones. They can come from walk-ins, emails or phone calls. They can be marked as urgent to less urgent matters. They can happen consecutively or simultaneously. Each day, I have to be prepared to accept what comes and prioritize or re-prioritize based on our organization's needs.

Do you have any examples of failing to live this virtue at work, and did you overcome that?

Early in my career, I recall a time when I was very upset with a decision that came from another department because it had a direct and negative impact on an external and valued customer.  The decision was not the right one, and I was able to override the mistake to make sure our customer was satisfied and did not end his business relationship with the company.

However, in my impatience, I sent an email to the person whose identification was showing as the individual who had made the original decision. Suffice it to say, it was not the most patient way I could have communicated the mistake. As a result, the individual came to visit me. They ended up being the VP of the other department, and he clearly was not thrilled with my feedback.

While it put me on his radar, it took some time before we were able to work together without the underlying tension caused by my hasty email. In order to overcome this, I worked hard to show my passion for delivering exceptional service to our external customers so that my intentions would be revealed in my actions. I also took the time to ask questions and learn his side of the business and how we can work together more cohesively. Through these efforts and with patience, the tension dissipated, but I remember this lesson to remind myself the importance of patience.

Do you have any examples of friends or colleagues living this virtue at work?

At my current place of work, we have such a diverse group of people that we serve every day. All of my colleagues have to exhibit patience and care toward each student that we encounter. We have students who come from all over the world from various ethnicities, cultures, and language groups. Some students have special needs, or are at different points in their spiritual life and struggle with issues needing support. They also have questions about their faith, they may not understand a church teaching, or in some cases may be quite opposed to Catholic Church values. In each situation, we need to respond and be a reflection of God's love. That begins with the patience needed to actively listen and understand what is being asked of us.