There are inherent benefits to problems.
Have you heard people perhaps saying, “I don’t want a problem?” You may be tempted to say such a person is a good, peaceful person or a peacemaker. I, too don’t want an unproductive problem. But problems can be gainful.
Problems introduce you to:
Yourself –
Here is what my mentor Dr John C Maxwell says, “One of the surest lessons I’ve learned over forty years of leadership is that adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it. And nothing helps us grow and succeed as a leader like discovering our strengths and weaknesses when problems come“. See, the greatest moments of growth are found within the challenges we face, so when we learn to embrace those growth opportunities, we transform our perspective.
Others –
Do you want to know who’s really on your team? Do you want to know who hates or who loves you? Let me help you: Introduce a problem into the mix. I promise you that the folks who truly support you will emerge, he will become obvious. While it’s true that everyone loves a winner, not everyone loves a winner while they learn to win. Problems reveal who we can rely on in times of trouble, and show us the team we can count on to move forward with success.
Opportunity –
Wow, every problem introduces you to openings and opportunities! This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but even the best leaders often miss doors of opportunity. Why? The opportunity to manifest great leadership potential comes in the package and color of the problem. No matter how good a leader may be, there are always opportunities that pass us by because we aren’t looking for them, or we’re not looking at them with the correct perspective. That’s because we often fall into comfortable patterns of thinking and working; when problems come along and knock us out of those patterns, we find a world of opportunities just waiting to be discovered. Again, Maxwell says, “Viewing problems as a healthy “reset” on our perspective and thinking is a great way to discover the opportunities within”.
For more on the Benefits to Problems, keep a date with Mike Ihezuo on Part 2 or CONTACT us.
