Are You A Problem Solver or A Complainer?

By Dr. Madeline Frank

At work do you solve problems or do you complain and whine about them? Which one are you?

At our Company we have a dream employee, I will call A. When I have a problem I will discuss it with A. We will brain storm the problem for a few minutes and then we will each check out a few more facts on the problem and discuss our findings an hour later. At that time we will make a good decision on solving the problem.

A is an "indispensable member" of our team. A is intelligent, well- organized, is honest, full of integrity, fair- minded, always listens to others carefully, will always do the right thing and can be relied on to help solve problems and take responsibility for his or her actions at our company. In other words A is a leader.

Do you have a team member like A on your team at work? Wouldn’t you like all your team members to be just like our “team member A?”

Remember leaders take responsibility for their actions and when a mistake is made they admit it and correct it immediately. A leader takes a stand for honesty and integrity and accepts responsibility for his or her actions and does not pass the blame on to someone else. President Harry Truman said it best. "The Buck Stops Here!"

What are the five things you can do to solve problems and promote leadership at your company?

1) Be a leader who has the courage of your convictions, the honor, integrity, morality, is fair- minded, well-organized, listens to others, will always do the right thing all the time, has a code of ethics and a clear and decisive passionate belief in the right way to conduct business.

2) Always have a paper and pencil ready, where ever you are, in case you think of a solution to your problem. Think of yourself as a detective like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and look for your solutions at work or at home.

3) Every day give yourself time to ponder your problems. Be observant and a good listener. Start thinking how to solve your problems today! Have a burning desire to solve your problems and Never, Never Give Up!

4) Continue to increase your knowledge in your chosen field by taking continuing education courses each year to improve your skills in your chosen field and read books by experts in your field each month to improve your expertise in your field. Never stop learning. As Dr. Einstein says, “The most important thing is not to stop questioning.”

5) Surround yourself with experts your "Brain Trust", competent people who know your business and markets are of like mind, and have a strong firm intellectual capacity to help you accomplish your goals. When you have a problem ask your experts what they would suggest by going around the table and listening carefully to your experts. Then make informed decisions.

The next time you decide to whine and complain instead of being a problem solver I want you to ask yourself the following question: “If I take this action will it make me proud?” This is the No. 1 question I ask my children and my students to remember to ask themselves before they make a serious error in judgment.

So, train your team members at your business to be problem solvers and before hiring a new team member for your business ask them how they would solve a particular problem. What steps would they take to solve a difficult problem? Their response will tell you if they are the right person for your company, a problem solver, a leader.

Remember you want to hire problem solvers, leaders, who take responsibility for their actions.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget". If you need a speaker contact Madeline at:
mfrankviola@gmail.com