This is a great article about leaders. One of our own Create the Life Club resource contributors, John Maxwell goes through five truths that leaders understand about problems.

1. They’re unavoidable.

For the aspiring leader, problems may be the most faithful companions of all. The road to success is seldom paved smoothly, and is often times under construction. Potholes and barricades abound. At every bend in the journey, a leader’s vision must peer around obstacles and through formidable walls to foresee a positive future. Leaders who sidestep problems stunt their growth - they end up shallow and debilitated. The successful leader stares down problems and resourcefully addresses them.

2. Perspective on the problem, rather than the problem itself, determines success or failure.

We see problems, not as they are, but as we are. That’s why attitude plays such a crucial role in separating those who lead from those who follow. Alfred Armand Montapert said, “The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former.” Leaders look at problems from a healthy, self-confident vantage point.

A Wrong Perspective

Problems are unsolvable
Problems are permanent
Problems are not normal
Problems make us bitter
Problems control us
Problems stop us

A Right Perspective
Problems are solvable
Problems will pass
Problems are natural
Problems make us better
Problems challenge us
Problems stretch us

3. There’s a big difference between problem spotting and problem solving.

Anyone, even the fairly imperceptive, can identify problems, but few people have the initiative to tackle them. As novelist John Galsworthy observed, “Idealism increases in direct proportion to one’s distance from the problem.” As rule, don’t voice complaint about a problem until you’re 1) able to put forth a recommendation for solving it, and 2) willing to take an action to solve it.

4. The size of the person is more important than the size of the problem.

You can tell the calibre of a person by the amount of opposition it takes to discourage him or her. Joke writer Robert Orben says that he once saw an ad from an entertainer that read, “Lion tamer - wants tamer lion.” Clearly, this performer wasn’t looking for greatness but merely for something manageable. To lead at the highest level requires wrestling with problems seemingly beyond our ability to apprehend.

5. Problems, responded to correctly, can propel us forward.

Leaders are not discovered in the limelight; rather they are forged in the darkness under heat and pressure. Leaders gain respect on difficult terrain, after taking a few blows and being shaped by the problems they encounter. As a matter of fact, courage and valor go undetected until seen through the lens of adversity.

Did you enjoy this article? If so CLICK HERE to view more of our Create the Life Club resources also by John Maxwell

John C. Maxwell as you may know has been temporarily removed from the Create the Life Club website while we review and upload the new audio’s we have of his (see blog post Important information RE: John C. Maxwell). But if you are like me and love what he has to say you may not want to wait that long.

So, I’ve been searching the internet for you and have come across this video that gives you a taste of John C. Maxwell in action.

This video goes for 5-minutes and you’ll find it contains some great value.

Simply click on the PLAY button below now to start watching.

Hope to be letting you know there is more available soon, this is Lyndon Phipps from Create the Life Club sharing with you a John C. Maxwell Video.

Today I have an announcement to make regarding some of the Audio content on the Create the Life Club website - namely material by John C. Maxwell.

After being given permission to add specific Audio’s to our websites, a decision was made by Mr Maxwell’s head office in the United States to supply us with NEW content.

As the material they original gave us is from 2005, they asked us to remove the content we had up and replace it with more recent material.

Now they have just sent us SIX NEW Audios, so we are aiming to review all of them by this Friday and then put them up onto the website shortly thereafter.

While it is a shame to lose what is some excellent material the upside is that they have committed to supplying us with one NEW Audio every month, which is a big positive.

I am really looking forward to getting this new material to you as John C. Maxwell is one of my favorites and as soon as it is available I will let you know.

Blue Skies
Lyndon Phipps