A Closer Look at Patience Profiles
This is my first blog post in several months. Since then, Google acquired my startup, and, after an 8-year hiatus, I find myself on my second tour of that now-much-larger technology juggernaut.
It got me thinking about the “patience profiles” of people who work at startups versus more established companies. For example, one dedicated person fights the good fight every day, socializing her innovation with as many people as she can in the hopes of getting capital, resources, or access to customers. No matter what or who is in her path, she perseveres committedly, convinced that her idea can change the world, if only it’s given a chance to grow in the market.
Contrary to popular belief, I’m describing someone who works at a large, established company — not a startup.
We tend to think of successful startup teams as impatient and spontaneous, suddenly bursting onto the scene like someone popping out of a cake at a surprise party. In an instant, they’re here! How fun, how amazing! Well done!
Yet turning an idea, a prototype, a first deal, or the first few users into a viable business takes exceptional resilience, focus, and patience. Expanding market reach, building internal infrastructure, hiring the right people, all require persistence equal to or greater than that of trying to accomplish the same thing at an established company.
Different opportunities — and barriers — exist in an established company. Resources are aplenty, but often seemingly inaccessible in silos, processes, and by too many people who can say no instead of yes. But if you’re patient and persistent upfront, and you can leap over the hurdles, navigate the system, and break through those brick walls, the channel at the end of the journey can result in a larger impact in a shorter “backend” time.
When recruiting and retaining talent, think about the patience profile required of the person you need in the role. Avoid trite questions like preferred company stage or size, and drawing conclusions about their past job history. Instead, ask about where and when they had to be most persistent and/or most patient, and when in a process they’re most energized and feel most accomplished. Then see how it matches up with what you need.
For your individual career development, think about your own patience profile. Where do you want to spend your time? Recognizing there will always be bottlenecks to achieving your goals, where and when would you prefer them to block your path? Keep an open mind and avoid thinking stereotypically about opportunities you wouldn’t normally consider. You may surprise yourself.
As for me, people ask? Well, it’s been just about 6 weeks now. Patience, please. :-)
