How to turn problems into stepping stone to success?

How to turn problems into stepping stone to success?

My client who was heading a large software firm had a situation where one of their deliverables with a premium customer failed. When asked about the problem, I noticed that my client was in denial of the problem. She was not ready to accept the fact that there was a problem. She was constantly playing the defense. It took long hours of discussion during our coaching sessions to bring her attention to the big picture, take an outsider view, identify if there are any learning moments or if anything needed to change!

As soon as she was able to wear a different lens, her perspective shifted and we were able to work out a corrective plan together. This exercise shed light on important elements that I thought is helpful to share.

In situations like these, I’ve found this 3 step process helpful to turn problems into stepping stones to success

1.     Accept that there is a problem –

We all see, understand and make sense of things differently. Ryan Holiday in his book ‘Obstacle is the way’ says that if we are emotional, subjective, and short-sighted, we only add to our troubles. Instead of taking it personally, it would not harm to shift the perspective and see things simply and straightforwardly, as they truly are—neither good nor bad.

We often try to deny the problem or make problems or “obstacles” go away. What if we train ourselves to accept what is and go from there?

How do you APPROACH problems? Do you AVOID them and try to pretend all is well or are you willing to take a step back to relook at the problem situation and ACCEPT that there is a problem?

 2.     Make the problem as the opportunity –

Former Olympian Matthew Syed tells us that “Every error, every flaw, every failure, however small, is a marginal gain in disguise.” Information has to be regarded not as a threat but as an opportunity.

 Leading psychiatrist Daniel Amen drives home the same point with brain research. In his book ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Life’ he says, “The setbacks are critically important, because if we pay attention to them, they can be our best teachers.”

 Once you recognize there is a problem, make it as a learning moment. By adopting a GROWTH mindset that Carol Dweck advocates, we can choose to work on learning from our mistakes and finding the opportunity in the problem. What if we change the lens that we use to look at the problem from ‘problem’ to ‘curiosity’. What if we just let problems or “obstacles” that stands in the way can BECOME the way to create a better plan? (Ryan Holiday’s formula)

How do you respond to problems? How can you make the problem a teaching moment and look to learn from them? What is the opportunity that you see in the problem? How will you be a better person as a result of it?

3.     Take the next small step -

The most important step then is to take action.

 Ryan holiday says “Action is the solution and the cure to our predicaments. Nothing else—not thinking or evasion or aid from others.” Matthew Syed tells us about Sir David Brailsford, who got the team to win the Tour de France when no British cyclist had EVER won. His winning formula was about MARGINAL GAINS. By obsessing about the TINY little things he could do to improve, he made the big WIN possible.

Tiny little things aggregate and compound into big gains. What if we take the next small step and just knock off 1 domino and then the next and next?

When you learn to see the opportunity in the problem, what is the tiny little action or marginal gain you can be obsessed about?

And at the end when I asked my client about how the experience shaped her, she said she became a better person, a better leader. The bonus was that the problem got resolved and her customers turned to be happy customers. In fact the product was enhanced and they even got more orders. The problem was a blessing in disguise; it was a stepping stone to success when they were ready to accept the problem, willing to learn and take action.

I got reminded of Ryan Holiday again – In ‘Obstacle is the way’, he tells us that  under pressure and trial we get better—become better people, leaders, and thinkers.

How can you learn from your mistakes and use them as stepping stones to success?