I once learned in a leadership resource (by TD Jakes) that good staff bring solutions, not problems. I thought this was such good advice that I’ve been teaching it to my staff ever since I first heard it. In fact, at the church office I have a sign on the wall near the door of my office that says “Bring Solutions, Not Problems.”
Here’s some things I encourage my staff to do that helps them be people who bring solutions, not problems.
- I encourage them to pray. James 1:5 says that God will give us wisdom if we ask for it.
- I encourage them to seek wise counsel. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” I encourage my staff to seek out advisers they can turn to for guidance (preferably ones who do what they do but at a larger level). This way they can succeed despite the problems and challenges they encounter.
- I encourage them to tap into whatever resources might help them. In Proverbs 2:2 Solomon encourages his son to turn his ear to wisdom. We live in the information age. That being the case, there are probably ten (or more) books written on any problem you can name. When staff bring me problems, I always to try to point them to a helpful resource. Better yet, I try to point them to helpful resources before problems arise in the first place.
I try to hire staff that are problem solvers, because solving problems is a big part of leadership. If you have staff that only bring problems, they will be a burden rather than a blessing.
Your role as the leader isn’t to solve every problem that comes up. Your role as the leader is to consider the various possible solutions to the problems being presented by your staff and to prayerfully choose which option you believe God wants you to take.