People ask me all of the time when and how I can spot a good or a soon to be great employee. People also ask me how I knew that an employee would not work out that was under my management. Also, as we continue to hire more and more people (from 15 to over 60 office staff in 8 months), how do you decide between two candidates with similar CVs?

So today, I really thought about this a lot and have focused it down to the simple for our leadership message.

Have you ever played on a sports team? Like Soccer, Football, Cricket, Rugby, etc. These teams are people that play a position. The team does not function unless all of the players play their position and play it well.

This analogy is used again and again when it comes to leadership. However, today I want to turn it around to answer the question, “How do I know when an employee is going to be a good team member.”

So write down now what you think your purpose or position on the Khidmah team is? What would not happen or would be missed if you were not here and your purpose was not completed?

Now, the title of our lesson today is based around the question: “Are you Problem focused or People focused?”

When you are problem focused, you focus not only on your problems, but the problems around you. You don’t look at problems as opportunities but as things that restrain you from doing your job.

People that are problem focused bring their problems into the organization. They don’t solve problems, they create them. They don’t make things easier, they make things harder. They don’t find solutions and become paralyzed by the problems.

Problem Focused People:

1. Problem Focused People are focused on their problems not opportunities.
2. Problems restrain or hold back a Problem focused person from not being a success or accomplishing their purpose.
3. ****Most of the time, when people are problem focused, they believe they do not have any problems or weaknesses. However, they are able to pick out the problems in everyone else.
4. Why do I ask the question, “What is your strength and what is your weakness or areas for improvement “ during an interview? The problem focused people cannot focus on their weaknesses only their strengths. They focus on others weaknesses and not others strengths.
5. Problem focused people take it personally when someone is placed above them in the organizational chart. Many times a Problem focused person reacts with, “Why do you need to put a supervisor above me, I already know everything.”
6. Problem focused people don’t like good leadership. They already know everything. This point goes well with Point 5 above. This person will want weak leadership because they don’t think they need any leadership. Without leadership, they go nowhere.
7. Problem focused people don’t need encouragement – because they already know they are perfect.
8. Problem focused people never take responsibility for their actions or not meeting a deadline. It is always someone else’s fault.
9. Problem focused people like having other problem-focused people around them. They like to sit and discuss the problems.
10. Problem focused people are never successful by effort or planning just by mistake or luck, because they are too focused on the problems to focus on how to overcome them.

Purpose Focused People:

1. Purposed focused people are focused on their purpose or their strength. They know what they are good at and want to be put in a situation to use these tools for the betterment of the organization.
2. Not only do Purpose focused people know what they are strong in, but they are also well aware of their weaknesses and what they must improve upon.
3. Most of the time, these people need to be encouraged, because they understand their own weaknesses and just need someone to believe in them to reach their purpose.
4. Purpose focused people see problems as opportunities to shine, not problems.
5. Purpose focused people see the light at the end of the tunnel. These are upbeat and positive people – even in a crisis they are calling that the end is in sight.
6. Purpose focused people don’t mind having someone placed above them in the organizational chart. These people’s first question will be “What can I learn from this person?” Purposed focused people want to learn and get better in everything they do.
7. Purpose focused people love good leadership, supportive leadership, and will not tolerate poor leaders. This goes well with the point above in #6. They don’t mind having someone supervise or lead them, however they want someone they can learn from and someone that will help them meet their purpose.
8. Purpose focused people are quick to say they caused the problem, but will fix it, and slow to take credit.
9. Purpose focused people are focused on successes. Again, they are not focused on who gets the credit, just that the objective is met and they fulfilled their purpose in making it happen.
10. Purpose focused people like having other purpose focused people around them. They want a team with other purpose focused people who are good at their strength and will add value for the betterment of the company.

Lead On!
Sutton