We had a group discussion about problems and worries.
Are we too attached to worry and problem solving especially when the more we think about problems, the more problems we create?
And my first reaction was to ask: Is it really a problem, or merely a choice / decision point that makes us uncomfortable? Getting to say yes to one thing and having to say no to another?
All of us are in leadership roles and have people in our care. This poses lots of dilemmas and thinking around offering the opportunities for growth and also the safety to fail in a controlled way. Where can we give the credit freely and where is there the assurance we will take the blame?
I’ve discussed before about questions behind questions. So, what’s the problem behind the problem?
The underlying truth might be that we fear…. well anything. We all have out own particular fear flavour, and one might be very tolerable to one person and utterly stomach wrenching for another.
So, what is your understanding of risk? Is it really a risk or merely the potential for an undesirable outcome? In the military, when shit happens, we stop and ask: did anyone die? No, ok well then let’s take a breath and think about this together. And when a death was part of the scenario, the reaction remained unchanged. Nothing was going to change that outcome, so large intakes of breath were taken and we worked together so ensure the next steps were the right ones.
I love a good question and here a few to get you thinking:
What really is in and out or your circle of concern and control?
What / where / who is the source of worry?
How might you break it down and unpack it more? How might that make the problem more manageable?
What are you hiding from and are you using risk to hide behind? How might this be keeping you from the meaningful work you want to do?
Now it’s your turn to tell me…
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Abbie Pierce 