Why You Should Have a Love Affair with Problems

 

"The problem, if you love it, is as beautiful as the sunset." – Jiddu Krishnamurti

We live in a world where people have been conditioned to get rid of problems or breakdowns.  In fact, we are trained to use more comfortable words like challenges.  It is a problem to use the word problem; people become uncomfortable when you tell them you will give them problems.

However, the world of breakthroughs or quantum leaps is almost always

preceded by problems.  Why?  Because breakthroughs require one to uncover mysteries of things they did not know they did not know.  That inherently comes with chaos, breakdowns and uncertainty which can be a problem.  Therefore, most people avoid or give up the pursuit of breakthroughs.  The mantra in place of a breakthrough is: it wasn’t meant to be.  

Instead of accepting that mantra and moving on to a substitute goal, explore a new perspective.  There is something called the Disruptive LeadershipModel.  It is designed to empower people in the face of breakdowns.  It provides individuals, teams and companies with tools to more effectively manage themselves in the face of breakdowns, such that, breakthroughs become part of the individuals life or corporate culture. 

With that said, because we are conditioned to see problems as negative, it is not the problem that is the problem.  It is how we manage ourselves and our perspective of the problem.  In other words, when we pursue breakthroughs, something occurs.  What occurs may not be the desired result, initially.  Nevertheless, it occurred.  Through the Disruptive Leadership Model, you acquire tools that empower you in the face of not immediately getting the desired outcome. 

Hence, what you learn from this model is that it is not how you respond to problems or breakdowns.  It is how you manage yourself and your thought process that matters most.  For example, if you believe the breakdown occurred because there is something is wrong with you, you will have an unsolvable problem, until you fix what you believe is wrong with you.  That is one way to have undermining conversations about yourself and others, the situation and possibly the world.  That alone will drive away breakthroughs.  When you are able to more powerfully manage yourself and thoughts, it becomes significantly easier to clearly see the gaps that caused the breakdown to show up.  With a clearer state of mind, it becomes easier to resume breakthrough initiatives and bridge the gaps, instead of give up. 

What is a breakthrough?

A breakthrough is a result that you would like to produce.  Except, you may not know how and there is no blueprint to follow.  However, once achieved, it alters the future for you, your team or company forever.  Before 1956, no one was able to run the mile in under 4 minutes.  It was believed to be humanly impossible.  In 1956, Roger Bannister produced a breakthrough by running it under 4 minutes.  Today, the world record is 3 minutes 43 seconds.

Why do breakthroughs matter?

In most organizations, the CEO has a breakthrough initiative that he would like to fulfill.  It may be his legacy.  However, he or she hesitates to execute it because his people are not ready, the economy is not right, does not have the right resources or his people are already overwhelmed.  In many cases, the initiative remains on the back burner because it looks like a problem. 

When the Disruptive Leadership Model is incorporated into an enterprise several things happen:

1. CEO acquires tools to manage self and problems more powerfully
2. CEO develops skills and competencies to run larger corporation
3. The CEO’s direct reports execute breakthrough initiatives of their own
4. Transformation of corporate culture
5. People focus on outcomes instead of what’s wrong with the initiative or themselves
6. Employees create innovative solutions to accomplish CEO’s initiative
7. New and more complex initiatives become easier to execute in the future
8. New or untapped markets are penetrated
9. New revenue streams are realized

Once a person is empowered by problems, they can more effectively take on breakthrough initiatives.  More importantly, they will commit to creating problems intentionally.  In addition, they will be more effective during economic, competitive or strategic changes as well.  Opportunities can be found when everyone else has lost their stomach for perseverance.

What do you think? I would love to hear your feedback. And I’m open to ideas. Or if you want to write me about a specific topic, let me know.