Out of all the keys to success, one of the most important is your ability to solve problems. And, to solve problems to where they are less likely to reoccur.
In personal business coaching, the keys to success with the entrepreneur, solo professional, self-employed business owner or individual lie in their ability to solve problems. If you aren’t a good problem solver and able to implement solutions then you are ripe to remain stuck or overwhelmed.
Keys To Success: The Right Attitude
The first step to problem solving is to have the right attitude. Be an overcomer. You have a choice. Either you can get bigger than the problem or the problem can remain bigger than you. The choice is yours. What will it be?
To experience small business success, small business growth or happiness in general you must be able to overcome problems. So start with the thought that you can overcome. Have the attitude of an overcomer. Understand that problems are resistance and that overcoming resistance makes us stronger and allows us to enjoy more of what business and life has to offer.
Keys To Success: Your Problem Solving Process
That’s right. What is your process? In coaching success I can assure you that process is an essential component to the keys to success. The reason many people remain stuck or overwhelmed is that their problem solving is haphazard. At best they get lucky and the problem goes away.
To correctly identify and solve problems consistently you must have a system or process. Process determines outcome. What is your process? Most problems can start to be solved by asking questions. Forget assumptions. Ask questions. Once you go three or four questions deep you will start developing some answers. Most of the time people aren’t going to reveal what the problem is after one question.
There is much more that could be written but a good place to start is with questions. Here’s the goal of the questioning process. Ask yourself, what is the real problem here? What are the consequences of not solving the problem? And, what is a solution or solutions that may work?
When you ask these questions of yourself and others it opens up thinking and allows you to move forward. Also, when you ask questions it puts a good responsibility on you to come up with a solution.
Keys To Success: Problem Solving Follow Up
If there is one weak link in the problem solving chain it is follow up. Once a solution is determined, the next step is to implement it. Follow up must be a part of the process. Without follow up it is impossible to measure the effectiveness of your problem solving.
One way to shore up the follow up process is to put it down on paper. It’s amazing what happens when something is put in writing. First, everyone who is part of solving the problem is now on the same page. Secondly, it shows who is accountable in the problem solving process.
Whether your problem solving is personal or related to small business success or small business growth it is important to write down how you are going to follow up to measure your results. Whether you are starting your own business or running a small business follow up, not only in problem solving but in all areas is one of the keys to success.
So there you have a beginning outline on problem solving. The first is to have the attitude of an overcomer. The second is to develop a problem solving process.
The third is to have follow up. In the end, your keys to success will only be as good as your ability to overcome, identify and solve your problems.
