Troubleshooting for Businesswomen: How to Identify With What’s In Your Way and Deal With It

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Before we begin, I would like to ask you to try this short quiz (don’t worry, it’s not that difficult, and it’s nothing serious!):
Q1: How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
A1: Open the refrigerator. Put the giraffe in and close the door.
(This tests you on whether you tend to do things in a simple or overly complicated way).
Q2: How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
A2: Open the refrigerator. Put in the elephant and close the refrigerator. WRONG! Actually, you have to take out the giraffe first, then put in the elephant and close the door.
(This tests your ability to think through the effects of your previous actions).
Q3: The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend?
A3: The elephant, because  you have put it in the refrigerator.
(Here we are testing your memory!)
OK, so even if you didn’t answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
Q4: There is a river you must cross, but it is home to many crocodiles. How will you do it?
A4: You just swim across. All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Conference anyway.
(This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes!)

–Source Unknown

Einstein quote

Whether you managed to answer the questions or not, it doesn’t quite matter.
What does matter is that whether you are male, or female, an academic or mediocre student, we all will struggle in one way or another to give the ‘correct’ answers to the questions (unless you have already seen this before!).
Even more so, did you notice that the questions were phrased in a fun, quirky manner, but is actually synonymous with your personality (such as whether you have a good memory or someone who learns well from previous experiences)?
The same thing applies when it comes to dealing with issues within a business.

Being productive in business is a funtion of many factors, including your ability to analyse and synthesise the problems when you stumble upon them.

I would say that the common ‘problems’ that come in many different forms and ways, especially with the people who approach me for help are:

 -    Time Management and Commitment.
There’s never seems to be enough time. You’re always trying to do everything – you seem busy all the time but it feels like you’re getting nowhere!
-    Inability to act on tasks outside of their comfort zone.
You know the business world is full of risks. While you strive to earn more and/or become successful, you are afraid of taking a different road – is it any wonder why you end up at the same place with the same results?
-    Product or Service ‘Tunnel Vision’
While ‘Tunnel Vision’ is a medical term for severely constricted vision, it applies in business terms where you only focus inwards and carry on watching and expecting that your business is the same, within the same people today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow.
-    Balancing Product or Service Quality with Business Management
It might not come in mind often, but when it does, you suddenly realise that the way you manage your business has an effect on the quality of your products and/or services, and you’re not sure what is to be done to make them work together!
 -    Perfection before The Pursuit
You think there is no room for error, and when it happens, you become de-motivated, or you start looking for another idea or venture.
-    Lack of Support (functionally not financially)

What could be more destructive than not having enough people to help you with your workload, moreover when everyone around you seem to think that your ideas are just a little bit too crazy?

If you resonate with any of these, do not worry! Like Harlan Cleveland said,“Leaders are problem solvers by talent and temperament, and by choice”.

So, to remedy most of these problems, I recommend:

-    Researching and planning your work. This helps manage the stress and achieve balance;

-    Looking for advisers who can be sounding boards when issues arise;

-    Starting your business with at least one partner who has a skill/knowledge set that complements your own and who can aptly share the workload (if possible);

-    Reminding yourself every morning WHY you started your business; and

-    Thinking of small ways to save time and money – the little smart ideas add up to bigger ones.

So, what do you say?

Have you identified any problems that are in your way when it comes to achieving what you want or where you want to be? Feel free to share them with me and others by commenting hereunder!

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