I guess of the seven and one-half habits, the hardest for me, at least on the job, here at work, is to view problems as challenges. Problems just seem to remain problems to overcome and to withstand. Challenges, on the other hand, are more of...well, a challenge, and more fun, if that's the right word, and when challenges are faced and overcome, the outcome is probably going to be better for me first. I might feel more satisfaction at the end of it all; I might feel healthier or happier or satisfied. Problems, on the other hand, are more urgent and far-reaching in their impact.
So what do I mean by all that? Well, if a worker confronts a problem, usually it needs to be addressed quickly to keep any damage from happening, to keep the expense down that a problem might cause to the work place or the system, in short, to find an expedient way to confront the problem and make it go away or at least keep it in check.
A challenge, on the other hand, calls for a more relaxed approach, one that lets a person experiment, one that is forgiving if an approach to the issue doesn't work out just right. A challenge by its nature calls for a bit of flexibility, patience, and forgiveness if a solution does not present itself or doesn't work out.
But keep in mind that those problems that are overcome reflect well on a person's job and performance, and when we work under a pay-for-performance system, I think it's harder to shift those problems into challenges. Do we have time to experiment? Do we have the luxury of patience and forgiveness from those who see our work performance as measures of what our next pay raise will be? I'm sorry, but the bottom line is that paycheck or at least some sort of recognition from the higher-ups, and a challenge faced but with not the expected results may just mean the difference between words of praise and words of "You need to improve."
Anyway, I'm glad we have this opportunity to say, OK, this entire LL 2.0 project is a challenge, not a problem, and the "71/2 Habits of Life Long Learning" emphasized this. Off the job, I have a much more realistic approach to challenges/problems, and I think these 7.5 habits will be pretty useful on or off the job.
Now, what's the easiest habit for me? I think I'm pretty good at organizing actions - so that toolbox looks like the easiest to fill for me. I might leave out some essential "tools," simply due to my inexperience and inability to see fully what I need in order to complete a task/challenge, but eventually, I'll get it together and fill my toolbox properly with what I need to complete a learning experience.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Calling a problem a challenge is simply an exercise in euphemisms. I think the point is, whether at work or elsewhere, people need to work on how they face problems--Yes, problems! Don't call them something else; rather, change yourself and call yourself something else. Addressing problems productively requires a lot of skills, though: good self image, ability to confront your fears, a desire to make the a little piece of the world a better place, an ability to view other people's shortcomings philosophically, the ability not to feel that the universe is dumping on you personally, etc. But all of these can be worked on and improved.
Post a Comment