Effectively Dealing With Issues

No one likes dealing with issues. Squashing them like a bug would appeal to me. But, not every issue to be handled in that fashion. When an issue can't be simply destroyed, you can use a softer and milder technique. I think my dad told me, "If I can’t get through an issue, I try to go around it, and if I can’t go around it, I try to get under it, and if I can’t get under it, I try to go over it, and if I can’t go over it, I just run through it."



That’s the philosophy I like to use.



• Initially, find out if the issue can be ignored. Actually, about 80 percent of the problems can be handled that way. It's the remaining ones that'll require your primary attention and focus.



• Often You can simply imagine a solution for the balance. If you can accomplish the same goal by using cleverness and guile instead of brute force, why not? Strategically, there's an even better way. I'm going to reveal it to you in a moment.



• In the end, you may have to simply stand up and face the problem. Facing problems is not an easy thing. Out of problems and issues come opportunities.

Thomas Jefferson had a similar idea about how to effectively deal with the most difficult and problematic issues. He stated, "Always take hold of things by the smooth handle."



Consult with yourself.



Three things are all you need. Paper and pen and a place to set up. The first step is to list as fast as you can all the obvious solutions. After that you want to make a second list of ideas. This second list will probably be shorter because you want to focus on creative ways to deal with the problem at hand. This may not be easy. Work at it until you come up with two or three on the list. Now, review everything you've written down. You want to come up with one idea. Jot down what's good and what's bad about this idea. I like to divide my paper into half with the strengths on the left and the weaknesses with the idea on the right. Your goal here is to determine how viable this single potential incher might be My experiences this is about a 10 minute exercise.



Practicing this technique from time to time will increase your skill at using it. That's like anything else that you practice. You'll generally get better the more and more you use something.