Why Problem-Solving Isn’t Enough
Eliminating bad leaves you bereft of good.
The “NO” life isn’t leaderly.
You can’t get where you want to go by NOT doing things. It’s true that NO is part of leadership, but success requires YES.
Avoiding stupidity is half the journey, but success requires skillful action.
Achievement requires more than problem-solving. Problems happened in the past. Problem-solving is a backward-looking activity.
A team that only solves problems is stuck in the past.
Yes, problems need solutions, but successful leaders seize opportunities. You can’t create the future while focused on the past.
A leader that eliminates bad hasn’t produced good.
It doesn’t matter how many weeds you pull if you haven’t planted seeds.
It’s important to stop negative behaviors, but successful leadership requires positive action. The NO-LIFE falls short of successful leadership.
How are you saying yes?
You might stop yelling at people, but success requires affirmation. You might stop tearing down, but success requires building up. You might stop interrupting but listening calls for curiosity.
Don’t brag about things you aren’t doing. The issue is the goals and skills you’re pursuing.
Don’t simply explain what you’re against. Declare what you’re for.
If you can get there by NOT doing things you aren’t going far.
How are you replacing bad with good?
“…if you can get there by NOT doing things you aren’t going very far.” and the thing about weeds and seeds. Such very good Friday morning stuff.
Thanks Dan !!
“It doesn’t matter how many weeds you pull if you haven’t planted seeds.”
Love it!!! A good reminder of how easy it is to get caught up in the problem-solving mindset and ignore building an achievable vision for the future. Simply saying “Don’t do that!” produces NO forward momentum. I see this happening in far too many organizations, private and public.
Great insights here!
Dear Dan,
An interesting post with good reflection of positivity in pursuing the set goals!
Successful leaders always focus on the right things while eliminating obstacles in the path of progress and not repeating mistakes. In fact, they analyse small failures and bounce back with new things which can facilitate moving towards the final mission. There is no blame game and the core team is better enthused to put refined efforts with good motivation and fresh direction. Set-backs are part of the business process and the man at the top carries a great responsibility of taking the employees along to give their best for the assigned tasks & responsibilities.
AWESOME post! Too often I hear people declare what they are against and I am left wondering what they are for? Leaders communicate what they don’t like, but don’t provide feedback on what they like, what they want, or what they need. Too often I am left to guess what they want, or worse, I just provide the minimum rather than risk another rejection. I need to ask more: What good can we do? What can I change to get to YES?
Yes, problems need solutions, but successful leaders seize opportunities. You can’t create the future while focused on the past. As a leader, follower or just average Joe I SEIZE opportunities to attempt to solve challenges and I do not look at those challenges as problems. I do this as a means to look at challenges (not problems) as positive aspects of life. Everything that we do is some form of challenge NOT a problem.
Just describing what you are against, isn’t inspiring.
I like leaders who tell me not only what they are for (their vision)–how they want to change things for the better but also, describe/explain how we’re going to get there.
Quoting: “How are you replacing bad with good?” Yes, the ‘good’ includes solving the problem needing to be addressed. That gets you out of the current difficulties. BUT ‘good’ most definitely should include understanding why the problem arose in the first place and how you might reduce the likelihood of its happening in the future. I’d also suggest Consideration of how the current solution could be improved – as IMO everything can be improved at least somewhat!!!
I can admit that I look for those situations that require a solution. Always looking to break from the old, but not focusing on moving forward. I have to let go of the notion that every step as to be perfect, zero risk. But that does eliminate my ability to be successful. Over analyzing and looking back on what works doesn’t support that success I’m looking for in my life or career. The one thought that came to mind after reading this is “Action is Required”. You can’t get where you want to go by NOT doing things. As a leader, I need to spend less time looking back and more time taking action moving forward, seizing opportunities.
This post reminds me of the Jim Carrey movie Yes Man. Through the use of hyperbole there is a great message in that movie. When you write, “you can’t get where you want to go by NOT doing things” it reminds me of some of the causal learning training that I have been through. One of the key concepts of causal learning to incidents is that no action (what someone did NOT do) can cause anything. Likewise, how can restraining yourself create successful leadership outcomes? So, your question is, “how can I replace bad with good?” The question may not require an immediate answer, but what it does is provide direction in our thinking. I know this is an extreme example but, firing the employee that continues to make counterproductive decisions may not prevent future employees from making similar mistakes. Firing the employee is eliminating the bad but the question we need to ask ourselves is how we are going to replace it with good.
We don’t. Adding good never crosses the radar. All effort is 100% focused on eliminating faults and nailing people who do “the wrong thing”. And so, you go on and on, with fewer and fewer people who can do fewer and fewer things until you evolve out of existence….
Good evening,
Great post. It would appear that you focused on achieving success based on “opposite actions.” Law of Opposites is a key principle related to the ability to manifestation. Leadership and management should always have a plan of action. Nothing will get accomplished within an organization if there isn’t any action taking place. Baby steps are better than no steps at all.
At times, leaders have “grandiose” visions, but a notion is pretty futile without the backing of realistic thoughts. I have met many people throughout the years who have great ideas. Unfortunately, they could not figure out how to get from Point A – Point B. Which left them frustrated and eventually stopped them from attaining their goals.