Are You a Problem or a Problem Solver?
Years ago, back when I was young and foolish, I had been out of college for a number of years and thought I had it all figured out.
After being in my first corporate job for a number of months, I started knocking on my boss’s door regularly to share “all the things I had been noticing that needed to be brought to his attention.” I’m REALLY rolling my eyes here, by the way.
I was in his office at least once a week to share a list of things…..a list of PROBLEMS. I thought I deserved an award, and definitely praise for all the things I was noticing and sharing.
What I really deserved was a kick in the ASS! Not one time did I go to him with a solution to one of those problems. So, to put it bluntly, I WAS the PROBLEM.
How he stayed patient with me, I have no idea. Maybe he thought that one day, I would figure it out. Well, I did, but it was years later.
This one piece of wisdom I am about to share belongs in my Top 5.
If you are going to communicate a problem, then you better damn well have at least thought about one solution.
It doesn’t matter if that communication is verbal or written, in person or over the phone. It also doesn’t matter whether it is a big thing or a little thing.
And, this applies in your work life and in your personal life.
Be a Problem Solver - and a Leader - with These 3 Steps
Here’s how you can take the problem and be a problem solver. It’ll help you first lead yourself and then be a leader for others by your example.
1) Accountability and Blame
If you are responsible, be accountable, but stop beating yourself up about it. You can’t think straight when you are in that negative headspace.
If someone or a group of people created the problem, then drop the blame. Blaming them is not going to produce a solution.
2) Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Stay in the present. It does not matter what could have, should have, or would have happened. You must keep your eye on the current situation and how to address it now.
A holistic review, including everyone's decisions, is necessary. But, that need not be done until the current problem has reached a workable solution.
3) Backward and Forward
Once you have a firm grasp on the realities of the current situation, look at things from two different perspectives going backward and forward.
Stay ‘high level’ with your thinking. Avoid the ‘weeds’ while you trying to envision the big picture.
Start with your goal in mind. Then, work your way backward to where you are now. What steps are you imagining yourself taking to get to the goal. When you have that in mind, think through what needs to happen from here to get you to your goal.
Do they line up? Are there unnecessary steps in one part of the process or another that ultimately won’t contribute to your goal? At this point, you will most likely have multiple solutions to your problem.
And, now you’ll be positioned to move from being a problem to being a problem solver.