Don’t Just Present Problems, Provide Possible Solutions

I recently read a book by Bob Iger. If you don’t know who Bob Iger is, he is one of the world’s greatest leaders and the former CEO of Disney. From 2005 to 2019, he helped propel and transform Disney, acquiring Pixar, Marvel, LucasFilms, and 21st Century Fox. Disney was already a behemoth but he pushed it forward and is one of the greatest minds in leadership. I don’t know about you but I’m obsessed with Disney. They are the gold standard in business, leadership, customer service, and vision. As a businessperson, I am so lucky to learn from Disney and take lessons to implement at Adam Clark Fitness. In Iger’s book, “The Ride of a Lifetime,” he goes over his career from start to finish and the lessons he learned along the ride! One that really stood out was “Don’t Just Present Problems, Provide Possible Solutions.” Man, does this resonate now more than ever? When Iger became CEO, he knew Disney needed to adapt as the competition in the market was growing and arms of businesses were being disrupted. There were problems. We all have them. When the executives from different Disney divisions came to Iger with a problem, he demanded they also come with possible solutions. He knew that when he went to the board, who he reported to, he needed to come with possible solutions to the problems. How does this fit into your life? We all have problems but complaining about your problems does no good. If Iger and the leaders in his company just presented problems and waited for the solutions to somehow drop out of the sky, Disney would have fallen behind and it would have cultivated an environment of complainers. No one likes a complainer because it saps the energy out of the room. So what should you do? Life looks different now than five months ago. It is what it is, but get used to it. How can you make the best out of this situation? How can you adapt? How can you thrive among the chaos? Start thinking of possible solutions to your problems. Start thinking outside the box. Look at it through a lens of optimism and I guarantee it will open the doors of possibility. Here’s a pledge I want you to make and post it on your computer or even your fridge: I, _______________________, pledge to a commitment to optimism and being a problem solver. I will adapt among chaos and do my best in every situation.