Have the Courage to Confront

Wherever you turn in life, you’re likely to find some sort of problem that needs solving. Big problems, little setbacks, major difficulties, and minor snafus

lurk around every corner. Nobody escapes this reality; everybody’s up against one problem or another all the time. To make ourselves feel better in this dynamic, problematic world, putting a positive spin on our difficulties by calling them “opportunities” and “challenges,” yet no matter what you call them, they’re problems.

For some reason in our society, especially in the business arena, it’s tough for people to admit they have problems and even tougher to tackle them.Worse yet, people know problems exist, but they believe they are someone else’s job to fix. They complain about the problems but wait for the solution to come from their boss, another department, or some other mysterious source. Organizations become stagnant when everyone sits around waiting for someone else to solve problems.

In a Collaborative Workplace, it’s a wonderful thing when someone pipes up and declares a problem exists, because that’s the first step toward fixing it. Shining a light on problems is the mark of a true collaborator and perhaps a true leader: someone who confronts issues head on, takes initiative at the first sign of trouble, and is accountable for implementing solutions.

So the next time you find yourself looking at a problem face-on don’t pretend it’s not there and definitely don’t try to deflect responsibility on someone else – addressing it and being open about it will ultimately help you and your team successfully overcome the challenge.

Give it a try and be sure to tell us about how you confronted a problem head-on.