Building a successful business will be rewarding; yet at times, uncomfortable. Sometimes you will make mistakes, sometimes you will have to deal with the mistakes of others, and sometimes you will face unforeseen challenges. But it’s all about your response. Your mindset and actions when these obstacles arise will determine whether they become your stumbling blocks or stepping stones.
When a problem arises i’s tempting to ignore it or prolong dealing with it. Â But procrastinating simply compounds the original issue. Action is like an antibiotic and immediately reduces the pain and stops its spread.
When you face a challenge, problem or fear in business deal with it honestly, directly and in a timely manner. You will be amazed at the respect you will gain or retain by accepting and then addressing the issue instead of pushing that nagging feeling away, ignoring the e-mail, looking at your phone and letting the third call from that person go to voicemail, flashing a fake smile and pretending nothing is wrong, or hoping that someone else will deal with what you are avoiding.
I used to avoid confrontation or any kind of conversation that wasn’t totally pleasant. I thought confrontation was synonymous with drama and that crucial conversation was mean, rude and abrasive. The truth is sometimes confrontation is necessary and it doesn’t have to be dramatic. And sometimes crucial conversation is a must but it doesn’t have to be belittling. Your intentions and delivery are the key; and you, your business and other people who are involved will fare a lot better in the end when you step forward as a leader to deal with the tough calls just as quickly as you embrace the happy ones.
Ask yourself three questions to make sure your delivery and intentions are constructive and helpful when addressing problems in business:
1. Is this something I definitely need to address
for the betterment of the people and businesses involved? Sometimes as a result of ego, anger, fear or annoyance when we finally decide we are going to address a problem in business, our handling of it becomes more dramatic than a reality television episode. This is not necessary. Really take a moment to search yourself and be sure about your intentions. If your reasoning is right then chances are your delivery will be also.2. Have I accurately framed the problem by asking clarifying questions in order to fully understand the situation and have I thought about (or provided) solutions? Business has a culture of confidence so in a rush to get things done and over with because we feel we already know the answers, sometimes we are operating with incomplete information. It’s important to start a conversation by asking questions, which means you are listening; rather than assuming you know everything. One of the best axioms that will always lead to clarity and calmness in any situation is: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Or if you are being asked to answer for a mistake you have made or something you need to correct be sure to respond with complete information. People can handle shortcomings and mistakes but they need to know when and how you plan to fix them so give them the courtesy and confidence of providing that information upfront.
3. How did I contribute to the problem or what can I learn from it? Almost anyone can be successful in business if they learn quickly from mistakes and figure out how to not repeat them. Through every troubling experience figure out what you said or did that led to that unwanted outcome so you don’t repeat the same patterns. Also, asking yourself these questions ensures that you have addressed issues from the root cause and can truly move on.
Felicia Joy is a nationally recognized entrepreneur who created $50 million in value for the various organizations and companies she served in corporate America before launching her business enterprise. She is the author of Hybrid Entrepreneurship: How the Middle Class Can Beat the Slow Economy, Earn Extra Income and Reclaim the American Dream. She is the small business and entrepreneurship columnist for BlackEnterprise.com and a contributor on CNN. Follow her at www.twitter.com/feliciajoy.
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