Operating a business is a challenge. Just when you overcome one business obstacle, the next one takes its place. More often than not we are faced with multiple obstacles. It is part of the way the Universe was designed, part of being a human on this planet. Obstacles are unavoidable.
What Really Matters
The best approach to take in tackling, solving, and overcoming your day to day obstacles is to sit down and separate them out into those that will have the greatest impact on your business. Take the time and ask “what is the real problem and will taking the time to solve it have a long term positive effect on my enterprise?”. This act alone will reveal where you need to invest precious resources and time.
Brainstorm Solutions
Once you have identified key focal points, know that just about any problem you need to solve, no matter how insurmountable it may seem, has already been solved. The solutions are usually within reach and the resources required are at hand. Brainstorming is the way. Ask, “what can I do, who can I ask, where can I go, what can I learn in my desire to solve this dilemma?”
The Rule Of 20
The aim is to take the time and come up with a minimum of twenty possible solutions or actions you can immediately initiate for every one of your challenges or desired objectives. Sometimes it may be difficult to come up with twenty, but the key is to persist. In certain instances you will find that the nineteenth or twentieth solution changes everything.
Embrace The Chaos
All winners are great problem solvers. They never complain or explain when faced with an obstacle no matter how formidable. Chaos is part of life and obstacles are the currency of this chaos. Anything worth doing, especially if it is worthwhile will usually require many micro disciplines and the crossing of unseen hurdles along the journey. There is no other way.
Always start by asking a better set of questions, namely “what is really the challenge here, what are the top twenty solutions I can bring to solving it, and finally which of these can I apply immediately?”
Very few business owners in my experience take the time to apply such a simple fundamental approach to problem solving. Those that do accelerate themselves and the organisation they lead straight to the top. It is inevitable.
Fundamental: “Highly effective leaders are outstanding at solving major challenges through the process of asking better questions.”
