Prober-tunity

Glen J. Dalakian Sr.
May 15
2 min read

Updated: May 15

Life is full of challenges and sometimes business problems that arise can be most stressful. Meeting quotas, cash-flow shortfalls, employee issues and more can certainly make an entrepreneur wonder what they got themselves into and whether it is worth it to continue on in their current capacity. This is an impasse all professionals face from time to time. Some fold to the pressure and move on to something else, but usually they just find a new set of issues in a new place or time.

In business, what are problems if not opportunities? Those who solve problems best are the people who rise to success, as they are overcomers, which is a highly valued commodity to any company. I have a rule with my staff that anyone is welcome to come to me (or their supervisor) with any concern that they see as a problem. But they can only come if they bring a solution they can recommend. Many times, when they have thought it through the challenge shrinks down to size and is no longer an issue for them, sometimes they have an answer that may work out well for the team. In any case this gets them thinking about problem solving and that is a skill we should hone that can serve any of us very well.

Problems can be our Opportunity to excel (and in some cases profit) in so many ways. “Prober-tunity”; A hybrid of problem and opportunity was the topic of an article that I read recently written by Liggy Webb in “Psychologies” magazine. This is a word I have come to apply to any situation that pops up that needs to be resolved to allow myself or those around me to move on. If your organization is not solving problems for someone (like your clients) then soon you will have no business at all.

So how do we make the best of every problem that comes our way to address? Here are a few tips that have helped me:

Is it my problem to solve or otherwise deal with? Don’t let people pawn-off issues to you that truly belong to someone else.
If it is your responsibility, face it head-on and quickly. Problems only get more difficult if left unchecked.
See all sides of the matter. I found there are usually three sides to every issue, your side their side and somewhere in the middle are the facts.
Contemplate what actions could be taken that are legal, ethical, moral and kind.
Communicate your position clearly and caringly. Whenever possible do it face to face or by phone. Confusion can often occur via email or text.
Learn from the experience and next time whatever it may be will be easier to handle.