 One of the main responsibilities of a leader is problem solving.  As long as people will live in the world, there will always be problems, misunderstanding and chaos.  The leader must step in and take charge.  Problem solving is the fastest away of gaining leadership.  If problems, plans, and people are left alone without direction, things will turn bad and the organization will suffer loss.  When the leader comes in and restore order and decency, he catches the attention of the people

 The leader must make sure is not the problem or part of the problem  He must understand the problems before addressing them  He must listen to people before drawing conclusions on matters rising.  He must be committed to solving problems  The leader must not be bias in problem solving by being partial or unclear when it comes to his position toward the problem.

 Good leaders must be problem solvers. They don’t create problems but they understand them and plan to solve them methodically and transparently.  They are committed in solving problems that arise among the people.  They set quality time into problem solving, making sure that the organization and the people gain into the outcome of the exercise. Here are their characteristics:

 A problem solving leader sees problems before they happen. So he solves them before they arise.  He anticipate problems. If he cannot stop them, he sees them coming and he makes plan to welcome them and address them.

 The problem solving leader is realistic.  He does not bury his head in the sand.  He faces reality and address it  He does not avoid problem by dodging them or minimizing them.  He is truthful and trustworthy in all the dealings about problems and their solving.  He is not partisan in problem solving when problems are due to conflicts.

 He goes beyond the petty and immediate gains and  He sees people’s and organization gain, not only now, but also and mainly tomorrow.  The future of the organization is bigger than his own interests and gains.  He is not selfish, trying to use problem solving for his own image.  He has a lager perspective: the good of all stakeholders.

 Problems must be categorized.  They have to be analyzed  They may be having compartments  A problem solving leader will start with the major problems scaling them down to the smallest, dividing time accordingly.  He takes initiative and deal with problems one by one, methodically.

 A solving problem leader is perspicacious and persistent in dealing with problems  He does not get discouraged and remain tenacious, even when he feels paralyzed and powerless.  He goes back and study new developments in the problem.  He does not give up after one or a few attempts  He is not afraid of failure.  Failing is a process of learning. Repetition is the mother of science, says French people.  The ability to solve problems come from experience and exposure to difficult situation including failure.  If he never fails and tries again and again, he will never master difficulties.

 Failing is disastrous when it demobilizes  A problem solving leader will not allow failure to demobilize him.  He will not fail and fall  He must fall and get up again, not forgetting the goal.  His goal is bigger than his failure  He keeps failing but rolling forward. He is bound to succeed, empowered by the determination to reach his objectives.

 Becoming a problem solving leader does not happen like a miracle  One has develop skills and capabilities by doing  Experience is vital  Knowledge comes through practice and sharing with others.  Here are some tips on how to go about improving skills in problem solving:

 Don’t avoid problems, attack them  Search for them and understand them  Don’t minimize them  Use caution in dealing with them  Use the resource within you  But take them to someone experienced for second opinion  A problem solving leader learns to solve problems by pursuing them, not by avoiding them.

 By facing problems and attempting to solve them, a problem solving leader gains experience  He will systemize his experience by creating methods  He takes time to discover the real issues  He finds out what others have done in the same areas  He uses his teams to study the solutions and choose to apply (try) the best

 Wisdom is in many counselors, says the Bible  A solving problem leader is not an island  Diverse thinking allows him to tackle problems with confidence  He values people and their input in complementing him and his limitations  Team working is efficient in problem solving  What one can’t do, many can do. (Eccl.9:4)

 Problem solving Is one of the core responsibilities of a leader.  The leader does not create problems  He solves them  He has to understand them and set plan to address them fearlessly  His commitment to solving problem and his courage in doing that will enhance his leadership role.  In solving problem, he must remember to protect both the organization and the people.