Take Charge Get Results - PROBLEM SOLVING

Chapter 10

PROBLEM SOLVING

History will judge us not by the adversity we face, but instead by how we respond in the face of adversity.”

Problems are obstacles that stand between us and the realization of our vision, the achievement of our goals, or the accomplishment of various tasks we would like to perform. Unarguably, the ability to solve problems is necessary to all achievement, because achievement itself is the accumulation of obstacles which have been successfully negotiated through problem-solving.

Make a Choice

People encounter problems or face adversity everyday. Adversity comes in different forms and presents different challenges for each of us, such as the loss of a job, the break-up of a marriage, the delinquency of a child, the failing of an exam, the crashing of an automobile, the diagnosis of a disease, the denial of a loan application, being passed over for a promotion, being in charge of people who don’t listen, living paycheck to paycheck, facing bankruptcy, facing downsizing, facing outsourcing, etc… But it’s not the problems we face that define who we are or determine how successful we ultimately become.

When we encounter problems, the first step in solving them is to make a decision to face them head on. It’s normal to feel frustrated, angry, disappointed, uncertain or even scared, but how we react or respond to the problems we face is our choice. Some people avoid problems, because they can’t deal with the way the problems make them feel. They go to great lengths to get out of confronting or addressing the issues that cause problems, and waste a lot of time just wishing the problems would go away. Other people get busy solving problems right away. They understand that problems don’t solve themselves. In either case, how we react to problems is a choice. That’s right. We have the power to choose how we are going to respond.

Successful people don’t have fewer problems than unsuccessful people. We all face adversity. We all have problems. What determines our success is how we respond to the problems we face. Do we run and hide when problems arise, avoiding them and hoping they will go away, or do we face those problems head on and get busy solving them? The choice is ours. In the end, history will judge us not by the adversity we face, but instead by how we respond in the face of adversity.

Change Your Point of View

As horrible as some problems may seem, there are benefits we realize as a result of working through the problem-solving process. Every cloud really does have a silver lining.

When I look back on all the problems I faced in my own life, I realize that if I had never encountered those problems and worked to solve them, I would not be as capable as I am today. I now understand that every problem I solve makes me a stronger person, and better at something. I learn from mistakes, gain experience, become more aware, become more productive, gain confidence, and feel more successful. As a result, my view of what a problem is has changed over the years. I find myself looking at problems from a completely different angle – a different point of view. I don’t see them as problems anymore.

From this new perspective, instead of seeing problems, I see opportunities for improvement. When my children aren’t behaving, I see the opportunity to become a better parent. When my wife and I aren’t communicating, I see the opportunity to become a better listener. When my soccer team loses, I see the opportunity to become a better coach. When my employees lack motivation, I see the opportunity to become a better leader. When my lawn is infested with crabgrass, I see the opportunity to become a better gardener, and so on. I have found that by viewing problems as opportunities I can solve those problems more effectively, and with greater results than I could in the past.

So the next time you are faced with a problem, I encourage you to step back and observe that problem from a different angle. Look at it from a different point of view. Look for the silver lining, and recognize the opportunity for improvement.

Three Easy Steps

The process for effectively solving problems, overcoming obstacles, or making the most of your opportunities has three easy steps.

Step One:
Find the real problem.
Investigate the problem and do your best to figure out what is really going on. Ask questions (Who? What? Where? When? Why?). Many problems can often be traced back to the same cause or real problem.

For example:

A company is experiencing a decrease in sales, an increase of customer complaints, increased expenses, and high turnover. At first glance it might appear that this company has four different problems that need solving, but in reality it has only one problem. If you guessed low employee morale, you are on the right track, but not quite there. Low employee morale is contributing to the other four problems, but what is causing employee morale to be low? Answer that question and you get to the heart of the matter – the real problem. Once the cause of low employee morale is identified a suitable solution can be worked out, and by improving employee morale the company can reduce turnover, lower its costs, improve customer service, and increase sales.

As you can see, many problems have one source (the real problem), and the key to finding that source is asking questions. Simply ask questions until you feel you’ve uncovered the real problem; then move on to the next step.

Step Two:
Make a list of possible solutions.
Write down what you could do, or how you could do something differently in order to solve the problem. Now turn what you could do into what you will do by taking your list through the three steps of common sense planning covered in chapter eight.

Step Three:
Implement your solution.
That’s all there is to it. Understanding that problems are a part of life, learning to view problems as opportunities, and getting busy solving those problems using this simple, three step approach will help you overcome obstacles more effectively, and with greater results.

George J. Morse
Email: george@coachmorse.com
http://www.coachmorse.com