How Do You Approach a Problem?
How Do You Approach a Problem?

How Do You Approach a Problem?

There are three ways to approach any problem. All three can work.

(Before you read further, think of a problem bugging you or your organization. Keep this problem in mind as you explore the three ways.

Three Ways To Approach Any Problem

  1. You believe that the problem is hard, that it is a threat to you or your organization, and that you might not be able to fix it. (Hint: you can tell you are taking this approach because of the knot in your gut, weight on your shoulders, tension in your neck, etc.)
  2. You believe that it is easy, that all is well, and that you quietly expect to have it all work out. (Hint: this approach feels exciting, light, etc.)
  3. You believe #1 above while you pretend that you believe #2.

Approach 1 causes undue struggle. Approach 3 can be soul-crushing. And Approach 2 is so so so (keep repeating so another pretztillion times) foreign–we are so used to Approaches 1 and 3–that we refuse to try it.

For the problem you thought of above, I strongly encourage you to give Approach 2 a shot. The worst that can happen if it doesn’t work is you revert to Approach 1 or 3.

 

In your corner,

Mike

 

PS: Approach 2 is similar to the Quite Cultivating I mentioned earlier.

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