Helping People Turn Problems Into Opportunities

Here’s something you can count on . . .

If you lead at work, home, or a volunteer organization, you need skills for helping people turn problems into opportunities. No matter how thorough you interview, or how well you train, if you lead a team, there will be someone who needs extra care and attention.

When you hire someone, their life is good. They got the job! But when change happens at home it creates change at work. If your team member is not mature enough to manage the pressure at home, it will influence the environment at work.

Helping people turn problems into opportunities doesn’t have to drain you, not if you see it as an opportunity instead of a bother.

It’s an opportunity to help someone get past a difficult situation that’s influencing them negatively at work even when the real problem is something happening away from work.

It’s an opportunity for you to grow in your ability to understand people and communicate better.

It’s an opportunity for you to help a team member mature and learn to be more focused and productive.

It’s also an opportunity for you to prove to your team that you can be trusted.

Anyone can end up with a problem at work. But it takes a leader to turn it into an opportunity!

Instead of allowing people and their problems to drain you, seek to understand their need and resolve the issue. In most cases, the person has a deeper need that’s so strong it creates a blind spot that overrides the overall good of others.

Here are some helpful solutions to keep moving forward and help people thrive even during challenges.

Manage your opinion. Allow people the freedom to think differently from you and consider their honest feelings as valid. Always keep the doors of communication open.

Be authentic and listen to their concerns. Seek to sincerely understand and empathize. Try to understand their history and why they feel sad, mad, or hurt.

Be transparent and apologize quickly. Don’t delay in offering a sincere apology.

Be a caring leader. If there is a simple move that you can make to resolve the problem, do it. Your relationships are worth a minor adjustment.

Keep your promises. Yes, you want to encourage and inspire others, but be honest and don’t promise anything that you can’t deliver.

Remember the nonnegotiables. Company culture, personal goals, team goals, and the big picture are nonnegotiables. If a person has a problem with a non-negotiable, consider more training or communication, talk about the purpose for the non-negotiable and help them understand the big picture.

Obviously, there will always be people who do not respond to your efforts, even when you work hard to create a dynamic team. But, the percentage of people who fall through will be much less when you are authentic, transparent, and caring. You spend hours each week working and sharing life with your others. It’s worth going the extra mile, to make every day at work a great experience for all.

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