Do we really have a problem?

When my junior colleagues approached me and said, "Sir we have a problem".

I used to immediately ask, "What is the problem?"

That was it, then I was in a big trouble. Then a lot of my precious time would  be consumed in listening to loads of moaning and whining.

Unfortunately, the reward for good work is more work. If you are good at solving issues, you are inundated with more issues to tackle.

So I became a magnet for problems and issues. Initially one gets excited about the ability to tackle issues, after sometime one begins to tire and then frustration sets in which turns into rage.

Frustration often leads to depression and that is unhelpful and rage is a kind of insanity and highly self destructive. 

Many clients also often tell me, "You know the problem is ......... " or "You don't understand what the problem is." 

They are probably right, I do not understand. The greater issue is, that they themselves also do not know or understand what the problem is. 

So I calmly analysed the situation, and developed a simple but effective approach to problem solving. Simply put, that problem which cannot be defined, cannot be solved.

We first need to clarify, 'what is a problem?'

A problem is something that obstructs you from getting from point 'A' to point 'B'.

Most people have no idea where they are and where they want to go. Even if they do know they have difficulty in identifying what is obstructing them.

I simply say, "If you do not know where you are, where you want to go and what is obstructing you, then you really do not have a problem. You may have concerns, apprehensions, opinions, probably an excuse, but definitely no problem".

Trying to solve problems that do not exist, in my opinion is one of the greatest maladies of mankind. Sadly this malady afflicts the intelligent more than the stupid.