One of the most significant labels you can give anyone is that of problem solver. People who can solve problems are among the most valuable individuals in our society. Many of the most famous people in politics, science, medicine, business, and many other fields are known for solving problems.
We should always seek to serve others by solving their problems; however, there is one trait and label even more powerful than that of problem solver which is problem avoider. We’ve all seen the action movies where our hero saves someone who is hanging from the edge of a cliff. While this makes great drama in theatre, wouldn’t it have been preferable if our hero had just helped the individual stay away from the cliff in the first place?
I did some consulting several years ago for a major sales corporation. In this particular organization, people became heroes for problem solving. This was important because this particular corporation was always in some sort of problem. Their corporate lore included legendary tales of people working all night to get the shipment out, complete the document, finish the monthly publication, and any other last-minute heroics you might imagine.
My brief unscientific, unofficial review of the situation told me that about 80 percent of the problems that were dramatically solved by someone on the corporate team could have been avoided in the first place. While it may not be exciting or thrilling to avoid a problem as opposed to solving it, it is certainly more productive and profitable.
Organizations that pay expedited production fees, overnight shipping costs, and require their people to work all night rarely survive long-term.
Life will bring us many unavoidable problems and emergencies that will require heroics, but you will be much better prepared to handle these problems if you haven’t wasted your time, money, and effort overcoming disasters that should never have happened in the first place.
If you don’t have your computer backed up, it’s only a matter of time until you will be called upon to try to replicate months or years of your labor. If you don’t have inventory in reserve, adequate insurance coverage, and an emergency fund in the bank, sooner or later you will wish you did.
The best way to be saved from falling off the cliff is to stay miles away from it in the first place. Save your heroics for a good evening at the movies or a great action novel, and keep your professional life calm, cool, collected, and far away from the cliff.
As you go through your day today, solve problems when you must, but avoid them altogether when you can.
Today’s the day!
Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.
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