We’ve all been there. During a meeting, a problem works its way onto the agenda. Someone asks, “What are we going to do about this?” Fill in the blank with whatever “this” might be in your context. “This” is obviously something that’s perceived to be a problem. It might be the scarcity of parking, or the need for volunteers in the children’s ministry. It might be complaints about the music or a gap between income and expenses. As much as we’d prefer to avoid problems, they are an unavoidable part of the human condition.
While problems do affect all of us, it's a mistake to think that all problems are the same. Some problems have very significant consequences. Other problems have only minor outcomes. Leaders must discern what kind of problem they are dealing with. Is the problem going to lead to one bad day, a few bad weeks? Or will it lead to an existential crisis for the church? When you know the nature of the problem, you can think more clearly about how best to approach it.
How have you honed your problem-solving skills over the years? Leadership professor Peter Northouse recommends that leaders considering solutions to organizational problems need to develop critical skills. They need to know how much time they have to create and implement solutions and how to understand external factors that might influence the solution they seek.
Faithful leaders also recognize that some problems do not have easy solutions. Doing simple calculations or tapping into existing knowledge is not enough. You’ll need to collaborate with others, name difficult truths, challenge assumptions and focus on the big picture.
The good news is that when you do the work and move forward with hope, it’s very likely you will see God doing a new thing on the other side of these tough problems.
