The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - Problem-Solving

We continue our learning and growing with the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. This book carries the subtitle: "Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow".

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside. People will want to follow you.

Quality #14 - Problem-Solving: you can't let your problems be a problem.

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year." -John Foster Dulles, Former Secretary of State

http://www.buzzquotes.com/quotes-solving-problems

Effective leaders always rise to a challenge. That's one of the things that separates winners from whiners.
No matter what field a leader is in, he will face problems. They are inevitable for three reasons. First, we live in a world of growing complexity and diversity. Second, we interact with people. And third, we cannot control all the situations we face.

Leaders with good problem-solving ability demonstrate five qualities:

1. They Anticipate Problems.
   1. Since problems are inevitable, good leaders anticipate them.
   2. If you keep your attitude positive but plan for the worst, you'll find yourself in a good position to solve problems that come your way.
2. They Accept the Truth.
   1. People respond to problems in these ways: they refuse to accept them; they accept them and then put up with them; or they accept them and try to make things better. Leaders must always do the latter.
   2. Effective leaders face up to the reality of a situation.
3. They See the Big Picture.
   1. Leaders must continually see the big picture.
   2. They cannot afford to be overwhelmed by emotion.
   3. Nor can they allow themselves to get so bogged down in the details that they lose sight of what's important.
4. They Handle One Thing at a Time.
1. Richard Sloma has this advice: "Never try to solve all the problems at once - make them line up for you one-by-one."
2. If you're faced with lots of problems, make sure you really solve the one you're working on before moving on to the next one.
5. They Don't Give Up a Major Goal When They're Down.
1. Effective leaders understand the peak-to-peak principle.
2. They make major decisions when they are experiencing a positive swing in their leadership, not during the dark times.

Every problem introduces you to yourself. It shows you how you think and what you're made of.

The ability to solve problems effectively comes from experience facing and overcoming obstacles. Each time you solve another problem, you get a little better at the process. But if you never try, fail, and try again, you'll never be good at it.

“You can measure a leader by the problems he tackles. He always looks for ones his own size." -John C. Maxwell

Bringing it home:

1. Look for Trouble.
   1. If you've been avoiding problems, go out looking for them.
   2. You'll only get better if you gain experience dealing with them.
   3. Find situations that need fixing, come up with several viable solutions, and then take them to a leader with good problem-solving experience.
2. Develop a Method.
1. Some people have a hard time solving problems because they don't know how to tackle them.
2. Try using the TEACH Process:
   - Time - spend time to discover the real issue
   - Exposure - find out what others have done.
   - Assistance - have your team study all angles.
   - Creativity - brainstorm multiple solutions.
   - Hit it - implement the best solution.
3. Surround yourself with problem solvers.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc