Problem Solving – Quickest way to gain Leadership

Problems don’t have to be problems unless you allow them to be. Why do I say that? Because they do hold potential benefits, which is why problem solving is the quickest way to gain leadership.

1. Problems introduce us to ourselves
2. Problems introduce to others
3. Problems introduce to opportunities

1. Problems introduce us to ourselves

• Our decisions are often Impacted by our proximity of problems
• Our plates as leaders will always be filled with problems
• Pragmatism serves us well as leaders
• Believing there is always an answer is an asset
• Our actions can make our problems increase in number and size
• Problems handled well often make us better

2. Problems Introduce to Others

• People who make problems worse
• People who become problem magnets
• People who give up in the face of problems
• People who use problem as stepping-stones for success

3. Problems Introduce to Others

• Recognize a potential problem before it becomes a real problem
• Get a clear picture of the problem
• Ask questions to help you solve problems
  • The Information Question: “Who knows the most about this problems?”
  • The Experience Question: “Who knows what I need to know?”
  • The Challenge Question: “Who wants to tackle this problem?”
  • The Magnitude Question: “Who needs to buy in and how long will that take?”
  • The Trust Question: “Have we earned enough trust to make needed changes?”
  • The Personal Question: “What qualifies do I need to ask myself?”

• Create a framework to examine problems and solutions: There are 6 critical keys to this framework
  • Leadership : How does this problem affect our people
  • Personal: Do we have the right people to help us with this problem
  • Timings: Is this the right time for a solution and do we have enough time for it?
  • Vision: How does this problem affect where we are trying to go?
  • Priorities: Are my problems taking me or the team away from our priorities
  • Values: Are my values or my teams’s being compromised by this problem?
• Value shared problem solving
  • Don’t work alone to solve a problem
  • Ask questions to gain from other people’s thinking: Method below will help device the thinking
    • 10/80/10 pattern
    • First 10% : Focused on defining the problem for all of us
    • Next 80%: Spend time on listening team’s ideas and facilitating their thinking
    • Last 10%: Attempt to add value from your leadership experience 
  • Remove Silos:
    • Organization silos are the root cause of most of workplace problems and are why many of them never get resolved
    • People who want to increase their territory and protect their turf are rarely willing to freely offer ideas that will benefit any other than themselves and their team or department
  • Create a Speak-Up Environment:
    • In this environment comments are welcomed, participation is encouraged, and good ideas are rewarded
    • How to create that environment?
      • Promote an atmosphere where the best ideas wins
  • Socialize Ideas:
    • Its a strategy in which leaders share their ideas informally throughout the normal course of the day to gain acceptance for them before formally implementing them
• Always come up with more than One Solution:
  • As you seek to solve problems, list as many solutions to a problem as possible. The more the better
  • The more the options are better, because problems continually shift and change
  • Leaders who don’t have backup solutions soon find themselves in trouble
• Cultivate a Bias for Action
  • One of the greatest dangers for a thoughtful person is to spend too much time on problem solving and too little time on solution implementation .
  • Ready, aim, aim, aim …. But never fires
  • Develop a bias for action : Don’t think , Can I? Instead think, How can I?
  • The moment you confront and act on a problem, you begin to solve it
• Actively look for Opportunities and Lessons in every problem
  • No matter how difficult your circumstances may seem, there is likely a solution that not only resolves the problem, but has the potential to improve your life and your leadership

As a leader, you need to see opportunities differently than most people. They are a chance for you to learn about yourself, your teams, and your opportunities. They provide you a way to improve your own life, improves the life of others, and gain influence. That’s why I say that problem solving is the fastest way to gain leadership.