DealingWithIt

The best leaders I know are exceptionally adept at dealing with challenges.  It's not that they seek out problems; nor is it that they feed on disfunction. 

Somehow, some way, these powerful leaders seem to be perfectly comfortable with the fact that problem-solving comes with the territory as one presumes to lead others.  Dr. Steven Sample speaks eloquently to this attribute in The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership (2003). 

Rather than bristle or commiserate or whine about or shrink in the face of problems, the strongest leaders seem to see problems as opportunities.  Opportunities to:

• Clarify - vision, responsibilities, direction, desired mindset.
• Strengthen - the capacity of others, organizational processes/protocols.
• Reflect - on antecedents, on relationships, on systems.
• Connect - key people, needed resources, lines of communication.

In short, they just "deal with it."

It's almost as if they view continuous improvement as a habit.  ;-)