Recently I was talking with a friend who described an issue at his church. It got me thinking that in our lives, two of the places where problems most frequently develop are our churches and schools. Their problems provide excellent opportunities for all of us to learn the essentials of problem solving and team building.
Problems with our schools have made the news all across the country. Problems with our churches – not so much. One of the decisions many churches have to face is how to deal with large attendance. Two solutions usually recommended are to either change the schedule to include two or more services, or to enlarge the facility by building a bigger church. There will be resistance to either approach. Change can be uncomfortable for a lot of people. What’s the best way to present possible solutions and to gain a consensus on which path to take?
No matter what the organization is, a church, school, small business, corporation, community agency, etc., the options for the range of solutions is to address a long term, permanent solution or take the Band-Aid approach. Here’s something to consider. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Taking either approach will have its benefits and pitfalls. Long term solutions make the problem go away for extended periods of time or make it disappear completely. Band-Aid approaches may buy some time and minimize the ruffling of feathers. The important thing to remember is to keep your focus on what you’re trying to accomplish. Hiring a problem solving consultant will make that process a whole lot easier.