John C. Maxwell on Leading Through Problems

John posted a great article this month on dealing with problems as leaders:

In the comic strip, Peanuts, a hapless Charlie Brown occasionally would be stalked by ominous rainclouds. Although the rest of the sky would shine bright and blue, poor Chuck would be stuck under a dark cloud, getting doused by its showers. While his friends and neighbors enjoyed the beauty of the day, a drenched Charlie Brown would be a scowling onlooker.

The lingering raincloud seemed to suggest Charlie Brown’s inability to break clear from his problems. A melancholy character, he was prone to fits of worry and self-doubt. He concocted problems where none existed and fretted about those which were real.

While we do not have to contend with perpetual drizzle like Charlie Brown, many of us live under the gloomy shadow of self-induced rainclouds. When life’s twists and turns work against us, we retreat into a rotten attitude or heap blame on our surroundings. By doing so, we neglect to deal with our problems and only add to our misery.

He goes on to list The Five Truths Leaders Understand about Problems:

1. They’re unavoidable.
2. Perspective on the problem, rather than the problem itself, determines success or failure.
3. There’s a big difference between problem spotting and problem solving.
4. The size of the person is more important than the size of the problem.
5. Problems, responded to correctly, can propel us forward.

Click here to read the full article from John C. Maxwell

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