doug smith training

If that problem has been around awhile, if that problem is cagey to the point of making you scratch your head, you might need many solutions. Many ideas. Creative, centered problem solvers stay with the process long enough to develop more solutions that any one problem needs. The gold is deep. Keep digging. -- Doug Smith

Do problems make you tense? Some problems really get me going. The space of no solution is a tough one to navigate. There probably IS a solution, it's just not evident yet. In the mean time, it's tense. Why not use that tension? The tension that problems cause us is energy: use it. -- Doug Smith

I remember when my kids were little, every once in a while we'd tell them "don't be scared." Because, of course, they were. We're all scared sometimes. Big problems can scare us. What on earth will we do? How will we ever solve such a tough problem? That's our sign. Solve that thing. Get working on it. Don't be scared. Fear of a problem is all the more reason to solve it. Centered problem solvers don't internalize the fear of a problem - they energize around it. You're not afraid of that little problem are you? Me, either. -- Doug Smith

Problems resist easy answers. That's why we need to ask the tough questions. Why are things the way they are? What is the deeper cause? On the surface, we may think we understand a problem. Digging deeper, asking probing and open ended questions, we can get at the heart of what is really going on. Are people being rewarded for incorrect behavior? Is someone benefitting from the problem situation? If so, who? Is it too easy to ignore the problem? Is the source of the problem aware that there is even a problem? For example, those who most resist a fair distribution of work are those who may not be working too hard. Why change?  Executives making juicy bonuses may not even be aware of how hard it is to live paycheck to paycheck. Creative problem solvers ask the tough questions with curiosity. Not to judge. Not to punish. But to know. What's really going on? Centered problem solvers use their creativity to separate people from the problem. They use their compassion to f

Which goal are you working on today? Oh, I know. You could be working on fifty goals today. Fifty? How many goals are too many? Where does your focus need to be to make a real impact? I'll ask you again, in a slightly different way. What major, noble goal are you working on today? What goal will change you, change your team, maybe even change some part of the world? Today will pass. You'll be busy. Stuff will get done. How much time will you spend today achieving your goals? How does all of your time sound? Too much? OK. I understand. How about twice as much as you planned? Your goals need your attention. Are you ready? -- Doug Smith

Do you tell people about your goals? When you do, great surprises can happen. You might get more help than you expected. You'll find more clarity around your goal. And your enthusiasm will grow. If you're not sharing your goals with others it could be telling you something about your goals. They should be exciting. They should be noble. And, they should be easy to tell other people. Easy because they are important. Easy because they are on your mind. The best goals are easy to share. Which goal are you talking about the most these days? -- Doug Smith

Do you know anyone who is a little bit, umm, odd? Since I've worked in entertainment as well as business, and played in bands and made movies, I've known my share of odd people. People who have interesting habits that make them just a little different. Like collecting nail clippings in a jar (yes, someone I once lived with actually did that) or alphabetizing their yogurt in the refrigerator (yes, someone I'm quite sweet on does that). Odd can be good (except that same person with the yogurt does not like odd numbers) and extremely helpful when it comes to problem solving. Problems need new ideas, new ways of doing things. When we are solving problems, we need all the creativity that we can get. What greater source of creative ideas than a problem solving team member who is a bit eccentric? Who else would think of that game-changing idea? Who else could be more fun? An eccentric problem solver is still a problem solver. And that's what high performance leader