It’s time to adopt a solutions-focussed mindset
Even prior to 2020, we were talking about the rapid rate of change because of the unfolding Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions. Then COVID-19 came along and upended all prior conceptions of what we thought change could look like.
Now the challenge is to shape all this change into a future we want to live and grow in. To do this, we must adopt a solutions-focussed mindset and let go of the notion that we, as individuals or society, already have the answers and to rather ask hard questions, seek advice from experts, collaborate and find new ways of thinking.
As Albert Einstein said: “You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created.” Being solution-minded can help us troubleshoot more effectively, as well as to find better ways of doing things.
The good news is that we can train our minds to become solutions focussed. It takes a bit of effort, but like all habits, after a while it becomes our normal approach to daily life.
Here are a few simple steps you can take, for starters:
- Pause: Instead of allowing your mind to be swept away in panic, hit pause. Take five to 10 minutes to clear your mind of invasive worries and negative thoughts. Then come back to the issue with a clear head.
- Change how you look at things: By choosing to see the opportunity in every challenge and considering solutions instead of problems, you break down the barriers that stifle growth. A challenge is just an opportunity in disguise.
- Still your inner critic: When brainstorming, allow all of your ideas to evolve, before shutting them down with negative thoughts or fear of failure. Sometimes the simplest solution can start out as an outlandish idea.
- Consider your resources: Instead of looking for the answer externally, look at the resources you already have on hand and consider how you can use them to achieve the desired result.
- Collaborate: Sometimes the best solution is the combination of many parts. By collaborating, we can pool the genius of multiple minds from different backgrounds and perspectives to arrive at a new way of tackling an issue.
Essentially a solutions-focussed mindset is cultivated by adopting a deliberate way of thinking that focusses on finding solutions instead of dwelling on problems. It’s a choice, and one that opens up the future in ways we previously never thought impossible.
Lee-Ann Kellner - Channel Sales Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
