Own The Problem

You are the problem.

Ouch.

That one hurt.

No one likes to admit it. But we repeatedly see  that the senior leader of virtually every organization is part of the problem…if not THE problem.

The inability for someone to own the problem is one of the most frequent “common denominators” in our world today.

own the problem

But the question remains, what do you do about it?

1) Own It.

Immediately stop pointing fingers. Well, let me change that. Start pointing the finger at yourself.

2) Avoid Excuses or Explanations.

Think about this one. When someone apologizes and then explains why they did what they did and defends the decision they made, how does it make you feel? What thoughts go through your head?

If you think there is an acceptable explanation, this can be very hard to keep to yourself; however, it is still smart to commit to not giving an explanation unless you are asked. 

3) Address How Your Mistake Has Impacted Others.

If you would like to earn the respect of your team, address the ways your behavior has hurt them. Own the problem. They will admire you for this. 

If you want to earn the respect of your team, address the ways you hurt them. Click To Tweet

4) Be The Change You Want To See In Others.

If you hope to see change in others, start by changing yourself.

It takes time and energy to lead differently. But ask yourself the question, “Can I really afford to continue leading the way I am?” 

If you hope to see change in others, start by changing yourself. Click To Tweet

5) Celebrate The Success of Others.

Let go of the need to get attention. Celebrate others. Honor and respect them. Click To Tweet

When you make changes to yourself and celebrate the success of others, you’ll see retention rise and trust increase in your relationship, teams and/or family.

As I coach around 10 to 20 clients a week, a consistent theme they battle is admitting they are part of the problem and then actually doing something about it.

Am I describing you? Do you need to own the problem?

Make sure that you focus on where you need to change as a leader before you begin looking at the faults of others.

Remember: “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” – Peter Drucker

What steps do you need to take as a result of reading this post?