Waiting in the Hallway: Leadership, Patience, and Character Development

Waiting in the Hallway: Leadership, Patience, and Character Development
 
Have you ever felt like you were sitting in a hallway, just waiting for the next thing to happen? Not sure when or what the next door will be, but you’re stuck between where you’ve been and where you’re going? I recently found myself discussing this very feeling with my therapist, and it hit home in a way I hadn’t expected. As a leader and an employee, that feeling of waiting in the hallway can be lonely. The uncertainty can make it feel like you're stranded, wondering when the next opportunity, project, or responsibility will arrive.
 
Leadership often requires moments of stillness, but no one talks about how uncomfortable that stillness can be. When you’re in the hallway, waiting for the next door to open, it can feel isolating. Everyone else may seem like they’re moving forward, accomplishing things, while you’re left sitting there, waiting, watching the minutes tick by.
But that waiting room, or hallway, doesn’t have to be a place of frustration or impatience. It’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and prepare for what’s next.
 
The Challenge of Waiting
In leadership, it’s easy to feel like everything needs to be happening all at once. We’re conditioned to expect constant progress, movement, and growth. However, leadership is not just about the “doing”; it’s also about the “being.” There are moments where waiting is necessary because the next step hasn’t revealed itself yet. It’s during these times that character is developed. Waiting feels uncomfortable, though, because it challenges our desire for control.
 
The hallway can also be a place of struggle when you feel that the people around you don’t understand your position. People can either drift away, leaving you feeling more isolated, or their actions can cause irritation, throwing off your focus and making you question your decisions.
 
Drifting and Irritation
When people drift or when the frustrations of waiting start to creep in, it can feel like you’re losing your footing. Have you ever had someone on your team who simply seems to check out? Their detachment makes you question your own leadership, your strategies, or even your worth. It’s easy to internalize the actions of others when you’re in that waiting place, making you feel like you’re doing something wrong.
 
On the flip side, when things aren't going the way you hoped or expected, irritation can set in. Minor inconveniences become major annoyances. You might find yourself losing patience with those around you, even if the issue has nothing to do with them. That irritation can start to affect your relationships, your work, and, eventually, your character.
 
Irritation and impatience can slowly erode the foundation of who you are as a leader. If left unchecked, they can lead to decisions or words spoken in frustration that you later regret. In those moments of tension, it’s crucial to remember the bigger picture. While the hallway feels like a place of waiting, it’s also a space for preparation.
 
Shaped in the Waiting
When you're stuck in the hallway, what you choose to do in those moments matters. Character isn’t built when everything is going well. It's forged in times of waiting, tensions, and uncomfortable spaces between where you are and where you want to be.
 
Rather than allowing frustration to guide your reactions, consider how this period of waiting can refine you. Is it teaching you patience? Is it challenging your ability to lead when things aren’t clear? Are you learning to listen more deeply to those around you or even to your own inner voice? The hallway isn't a place where nothing happens—it's where the deeper work of leadership and character formation begins.
 
In my conversation with my therapist, I realized that the waiting isn't just about enduring until the next door opens. It's about becoming the person who will be ready when the door does. How I handle the waiting directly impacts my ability to lead well when the opportunity comes.
 
Embracing the Hallway
If you’re feeling like you’re sitting in the hallway right now—whether in your career, your leadership, or even your personal life—remember that waiting is not passive. It’s active preparation for what’s to come. It’s a place where your patience is tested, your character is shaped, and your ability to lead through uncertainty is refined.
 
You may be alone at times, and you may experience frustrations, but don’t let those moments cause you to drift or lose sight of who you are. Instead, allow them to deepen your resilience, sharpen your focus, and strengthen your resolve.
 
The hallway is not the end of the journey. It’s a crucial stop along the way, and how you navigate it will determine what kind of leader you’ll be when the next door finally opens. So, if you find yourself waiting, don’t lose heart. Trust that this season is preparing you for something greater—and the waiting is part of that preparation.
 
Reflection Questions:

1. Are you in a hallway season right now? What are you learning in this space of waiting?
2. How do you typically handle frustration or irritation when things aren’t going according to plan?
3. What small steps can you take to use the waiting period to grow your leadership and character?