mnglassett@gmail.com Behavioral Interview Questions, Hiring, Interview Tips, Leaders & Managers

7 Revealing Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

I think you’ll agree with me when I say that behavioral interview questions have become the norm.

The problem is, most job applicants struggle to answer behavioral interview questions properly because they don’t know know the one trick to acing this type of interview!

I’ve given thousands of interviews and know exactly how the answers should be constructed.

In this blog post I’m going to give you 7 perfect examples of behavioral interview questions and answers to each one. You will know exactly how to answer when behavioral interview questions are coming at you one after another.

Don’t Be Afraid!

You might be saying to yourself, “Man I’m kind of nervous for these behavioral interview questions!”

I assure you though, there is no need to be scared. Let me show you why…

These types of questions allow the interviewer to hear you tell a story, and show them if you are calm and cool under pressure.

So, the funny thing is, you’re already well prepped for behavioral interview questions!

That’s because you have real life scenarios that will give the interviewer the type of answers  that they’re looking for.

Trust me…

With a little prep and thought, you will crush these questions!

Avoid the One Biggest Mistake

There’s one mistake that most applicants make, and it’s easy to avoid…

The behavioral interview questions will always be asked in a similar form.

That form will be, “Tell me time when you pleased a customer.”

The mistake that most applicants make is that they answer the question with a general statement.

An example of a general statement type answer is, “I always try to go out of my way to help customers and make sure they’re happy”.

That answer doesn’t give the interviewer any information about what you actually did in the scenario.

The interviewer want’s a specific example. A real life situation.

When you give a general answer about your overall philosophy, there is no proof or evidence of what you did to make sure that customers were happy!

interview questions for job hoppers youtube thumbnail
Also see Nick’s 9 Perfect Interview Questions for Job Hoppers

How to be a STAR and Give the Answers to They Want

Replying with the answers to the behavioral interview questions is actually simpler than you think.

So how do you do it? Easy…

Answer in the form of a story!

There is a very popular interview technique called STAR, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

As you answer, just make sure that you hit all 4 of those topics!

What was the SITUATION you were in?

What was the TASK at hand?

What was the ACTION you took?

What was the RESULT of your actions?

For example, if the question is, “Tell me about a time you had an argument with a coworker, what did you do to resolve it?”

Your answer would just be the story, in detail, when you had a dispute with a coworker, and how you resolved it. That’s it!

Be sure to hit your S.T.A.R. and I promise the interviewer will be impressed, maybe even relieved, because you told the whole story start to end.

And a quick but ultra-important piece of advice:

Don’t over think it! Just tell the truth.

I cannot stress that enough!

That’s because answering with a true story, full of details, tells the interviewer exactly what to expect from you if they were to make you a job offer.

Job Interview

The Questions Will Fit the Environment

You don’t need to worry about studying for all sorts of crazy scenarios. That’s because the  behavioral interview questions will pertain to the industry you are applying for.

Let me give you a few examples…

If you are applying at a company that deals with face-to-face customers, expect a question about a difficult customer you have dealt with.

Trying to get a job with a call center? Anticipate a question about a customer using bad language and threatening you.

Are you going to be working on a team? You can expect a question about collaboration and how you make sure everyone has a voice.

Going for a sales position? Then you know there will be a question about persuading a customer or maybe the largest sale you ever made.

You see, it’s not incredibly difficult to know what to expect.

Alright, let’s get to it! Here are…

The 7 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

Ok, here are the 7 most common behavioral interview questions and answers to each one!

Question 1. “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how it was resolved.”

This is a great question because most people won’t tell the truth because they shy away from the work “conflict”.

Answer 1. Give them THE TRUTH about a time that you had a conflict with a teammate. What started it, how did it escalate, what did you do, who was wrong, how did you speak to the person, was there a past of issues between you, what ended up happening? Tell the story!

Question 2. “Give me an example of a time when you did exceptional work.”

This question is great because it allows you to detail a time where you excelled!

Answer 2. Your answer here should be in 3 parts; First, the thing that you killed it on! What was the accomplishment? Second, it should involve some humility. Don’t go tell them you are the best at everything and no one else on earth understands that. No, tell them you took the actions that you did because its in your values or maybe it’s how you were raised. Third and finally, your answer should involve other people. Who did you teach or who else contributed. I’m not saying give ALL the credit away, but make sure you recognize the people that assisted you.

Question 3. “Tell me about a time you worked as a team to overcome the odds.”

I love this freaking question! I ask it myself in interviews that I conduct because I want to know if the applicant can work with others and be successful, or if they are more of the Lone Ranger type. By the way, both are ok!

Answer 3. This is as easy as telling them about your job at McDonald’s, how you all banded together on a Saturday when the drive thru speaker system went down and you all had to work together to ensure customers didn’t suffer.

Question 4. “Did you ever have a time where you had a policy that you didn’t agree with?”

It sounds like a trap!!! But it’s not I promise. Just tell the truth. Every large company has countless policies, and every employee has at least one they don’t agree with!

Answer 4. Just tell them the policy or procedure that was implemented, and why you disagreed with it. But, be sure not to roll your eyes, or become visibly negative. The interviewer wants to see how you handle this, because they know it’s going to happen again. Tell your story about how you implemented it even though you didn’t agree with it, and if you can, inject some details about how you supported others to implement the policy as well.

Question 5. “Tell me about a time that you saw someone doing something wrong and what you did.”

This seems similar to question 4, and it can be, but to really ace this question, go for the moral issue detailed below!

Answer 5. This can be a tough one because it can be answered two ways. Way 1; You describe a time that a coworker was doing a procedure wrong and how you stepped in and supported them. If you go that route, be sure to include what you taught them! Way 2 to answer; Describe a time that you witnessed someone doing something immortal and how you addressed it. It could be stealing time, or taking office supplies, or even a situation where there was someone being bullied! Either answer is fitting, but way 2 is much more impressive!

Question 6. “Give me an example of a time you handled a difficult customer/client.”

Great question, and maybe the most common for any business that has face to face contact with customers/clients.

Answer 7. Tell the story from the beginning, but hold back from scoffing or being extra dramatic when you start the story! A vast majority of applicants start the story like they’re complaining about the customer. NO! Go through and detail what you did to fix the issue the customer had, how you eased the tension, and then what the end result was.

Question 7.  “Tell me about a time when you trained or mentored someone.”

This is where you’re going to talk about anyone that you’ve taken under your wing.

Answer 7. Tell a story about your favorite person that you ever worked with, and how you mentored them in some way! Be detailed and outline the interaction that you had with them to help them grow. Any tough conversations you had to pull them aside for? Any big praise that you gave them? Did they end up maybe winning employee of the month? Brag a little about the person you mentored!

Perfectly ACE the Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

So now you’re ready to crush the behavioral interview questions and answers!

Lets go through and do a quick recap…

  • Answer in the form of a story
  • Tell the truth!
  • Give good details
  • Involve others in the stories
  • Be a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

Glad we could get you ready to go for your your next behavioral interview!

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Hiring, Interview Tips, Leaders & Managers

9 Perfect Interview Questions for Job Hoppers

I think you’ll agree with me when tell you that job hoppers can be hard to spot.

The problem that hiring managers have is that job hoppers are “professional interviewers”, meaning they’re great at acing job interviews by telling you what you want to hear.

In this blog post I’m going to give you my exact strategies for spotting job hoppers.

Job Hoppers Are Sneaky

Through years of trial and error conducting interviews I was able to master the art of catching a job hopper.

It was hard work and frustrating at times, but once I started asking the right questions, I was able to weed out the fake answers of job hoppers easily.

And there’s one reason why job hoppers are so hard to spot…

interview questions for job hoppers

It’s because they go to a lot of job interviews!

They’ve gotten good at making it seem like they are ready to come aboard and be an amazing asset for your company.

Truth is, you’re just going to be the job hopper’s “next paycheck”, until something else grabs their attention and they leave you shorthanded again!

Spotting Job Hoppers is Mega Important

If you are the next victim on the job hoppers list, then it’s going to cost you money!

A report from the Center for American Progress, which studied 11 research papers published over the course of 15 years, found that turnover can cost organizations anywhere from 16% to 213% of the lost employee’s salary.

16% represents the cost of turnover for positions earning less than $30,000 annually.

Higher paid jobs tend to have disproportionately higher turnover costs ranging up to 213% of the replaced employee’s salary!

For example, if a highly-trained employee was making $150,000 annually, the cost for the organization to replace that employee could be as high as $320,000!

job interview questions for job hoppers

It’s pretty obvious that you need to catch job hoppers before it’s too late!

I have used my 15+ years of interviewing experience to put together the complete list of questions for job hoppers.

Now you can you can spot them in the interview, instead of after they leave you high and dry!

Know that You are In Control

The strategy we’re going to use to properly ask the interview questions for the job hoppers is a technique that I came up with called “Established Total Control”.

“Established Total Control” is a series of questions designed to put you in the driver seat of the interview.

It’s not to say that they can’t talk, because the opposite is actually true!

You will talk 10% to their 90%! But the series of these 9 questions for job hoppers is designed to make sure that they don’t take you on a ride and lead you all over the place.

YOU are in control and you will establish it clearly.

What you may notice is that the questions aren’t all that different or probing, but rather the order that you ask them in is the importance!

Let’s get into its! Here are my…

9 Perfect Interview Questions for Job Hoppers

Question 1. Where are you working now?

This sets the stage that you are going to ask questions about their employers, and puts you in control for the next question.

As they answer, take mental note of anything that needs a follow up question, and anything that is interesting.

Also be on the lookout for them to start bashing their employer. It may not happen this early, but it’s likely coming!

Question 2. How long have you worked there?

Obviously, this answer will be pretty revealing if they are in fact a job hopper.

If they haven’t been at their current job long, then you ask follow up questions as to why they’re looking for another job so soon (the employer bashing chances greatly increase here).

If they are talking poorly about the employer and they haven’t been there long, chances are getting better that they are a job hopper!

Question 3. Where did you work before that?

Once you have talked a little bit about where they are now, and how long they have been there, you’re going to keep digging going further and further back in time.

There’s a chance that they’re going to get uneasy at this point! Stay calm, be yourself, and just keep asking follow up questions!

Question 4. And what were the dates that you said you worked here? And what are the dates that you started your current job again?

OK, here is where the Established Total Control technique really comes into play.

Clearly, you just talked about their past 2 jobs, but then you go back in and ask for the dates of employment again.

This communicates that you are not going to just breeze over these jobs, and that you want details in your answers.

It also puts you in FULL control!

Pay close attention to see if anything the dates change!

What we’re doing here is looking for a pattern. Short time of employment and very likely large gaps between jobs!

Question 5. Ok, I see, and what was the reason you left your previous job?

You ask this question really quick after they tell you the dates of their last 2 jobs.

You want to be sure they have no time to make any stories up.

If they’re a job hopper, you’ll start to really get them on their heels here as they start to sweat, adjust in their chair, touch their face, etc.

You’re looking for more patterns! They may start to blame management, or the most likely answer is that the jobs didn’t match what the employer described in the interview.

Be thoughtful, and ask any follow up questions where you need clarity…

Then we just keep going!

Question 6. Ok and where were you before Job B?

Now we go even further back in time. We’ve talked about where they work now, we talked about where they worked before that (job B) and now we’re going 3 jobs into the past.

They may try to get the interview back under their control by being extremely passionate about this job.

Don’t take it for face value, but also don’t completely write it off.

Save your follow up questions at this point and go straight to question 7.

Question 7. How long were you there?

More searching for patterns. If they job hop, then they weren’t there long!

Again save your follow up questions…

Question 8. What was the reason you left?

No surprise with this question.

By this time, if they are a job hopper, they’re getting very uneasy. They will sense that you see what is going on, and you will be FULLY in control at this point.

Objective 1 accomplished, you have Established Total Control of the interview!

And now we go in for the killshot!

Question 9. It looks like you have moved jobs quite often…any reason that would be?

Call a spade a spade, but then let them explain!

There is always the off-chance that they moved often for one reason or another.

Or, like a college student that can’t decide what their major is going to be, they can see themselves as successful in one field and then they change their mind.

Click here for PDF version of the 9 Perfect Interview Questions for Job Hoppers

Devils Advocate: It’s not BAD to be a Job Hopper

In the past, I have hired people that were job hoppers, and had them become extremely productive and loyal employees!

The fact of all interviews is this:

The goal is NOT to get a “good” interview.
To goal is to get an ACCURATE interview.

When you know what you have, you can make an informed decision.

If the applicant appears to be a job hopper, but is a great fit for the position, by unearthing the fact that they change jobs a lot, you can then address it simply…

Just tell them you’re concerned that they change jobs a lot and you are looking for a long term employee to invest in.

The realness of that statement will set you up for a more honest conversation. If they open up, and you two can talk, then good!

If they keep feeding you stories and excuses, you know what you need to do…

You know you need to move on to the next candidate!

 

mnglassett@gmail.com Diet, Glassett Cooking Hour, Keto, Recipe

Keto Crustless Pizza Casserole

If you are on the Keto diet, I think you’d agree that there is nothing that is missed more than a great piece of pizza!

Here I’m going to share with you my recipe for Keto Crustless Pizza Casserole, and you’re going to love the crunch of the toppings so much, you’ll make this again and again!

Yeah, you’ve made pizza with a cauliflower crust before, but that soggy crust with the burnt edge just isn’t the same!

And fathead dough is great, but it’s kind of a pain to make…

This Keto Crustless Pizza Casserole is as easy as it is delicious!

OK…let’s get to it!

Ingredients

  • 1 Head of Cauliflower
  • Pepperoni
  • 1 LB Ground Italian Sausage
  • Mushrooms, Green Bell Pepper, Onions
  • Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 Jar Pasta Sauce (low carb or no sugar added)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Italian seasoning

Of course you can add whatever your other favorite pizza toppings are: Ham, bacon, jalapeños, olives…pineapple???

Yeah, that last one is debatable…

keto crustless pizza casserole
Finished product, ready for baking

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Steam the Cauliflower to slightly tender and pat dry (don’t cook all the way!)
  • Cook Italian Sausage and drain
  • Sauté the veggies to slightly tender, and season with Salt and Italian Seasoning
  • Spray 13 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick spray
  • Spread Cauliflower across the bottom and season with Garlic Salt
  • Pour 1/3 cup of Pasta Sauce on the Cauliflower
  • Spread 1/2 of the Italian sausage/Veggies
  • Top with 1/3 cup Pasta Sauce, Pepperoni, and Mozzarella
  • Spread the remaining Italian Sausage/Veggie mix over the cheese
  • Layer with Pepperoni
  • Add remaining Pasta Sauce
  • Top with mozzarella, Parmesan and Italian Seasoning
  • Place in a 400° oven for 30 min
  • ENJOY
keto-crustless-pizza casserole
Finished product, fresh out of the oven
mnglassett@gmail.com Uncategorized

Sickness Proves the World is Amazing

I was sick as a dog on Tuesday.

Woke up with a small stomach ache.

I pushed through and worked out, ate breakfast, like normal.

Tummy got worse and worse throughout the day.

I gutted out coaching Boston’s soccer practice at 6:30pm. My dad is the assistant coach and he took a lot of the lead role which helped a ton!

Got home about 7:30 and…BEDTIME!

Food poisoning.

It was BAD through the night, and I finally broke it about 9:30am on Wednesday.

I was still hurting all day but not as bad!

Skipped my own soccer game that night.

And then I woke up Thursday… morning READY TO CONQUER THE WORLD!

The interesting thing about being sick is how much of a perspective shift it is…

Once you’re healthy, it’s go time! Is as if the sun is brighter, people are nicer, and the world just occurs as amazing.

We just don’t realize how amazing life is until a part of it is compromised.

Then, when that compromise subsides, we can actually see to world for what it is…

UNBELIEVABLE!

Be thankful for what you have, whatever it is.

Realize that maybe THIS IS heaven.

It’s all good. And mindset can make it even better!

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Leaders & Managers, Leadership, Morning Messages, Personal Growth, Work

The Seesaw of Balance (Work Life Balance is a Myth)

The Seesaw of Balance

Work Life Balance is a myth.

If you try to achieve it, you will either fail, or live a life of mediocrity.

Achieving “balance” is a fool’s errand.

You think Tom Brady is balanced?
You think LeBron is balanced?
You think Ronaldo is balanced?

NOPE.

In order to be great, you have to put in too much work to be “balanced”.

Think about the word.

Balanced means you have something held perfectly in the middle so no part of it falls.

You can’t be an amazing father living in the middle.

You have to put your phone away and jump on the trampoline, blindfolded, chanting “Mummy, mummy come alive”.

You can’t be a high achiever at work living in the middle.

You have to wake up before dawn to grind on that big project, day after day, until it’s done and you crushed it!

Here’s Why Work Life Balance is a Myth (and how to actually win big)

It’s less about balance and more about appropriate pressure.

You don’t go hard at work 24/7 and you don’t jump on the trampoline 24/7. You pick and choose the times when you will go balls to the wall!

This, admittedly, is a concept that I have struggled with my whole life.

I tend to be HIGHLY unbalanced, running to one end of the seesaw, staying there shouting about how amazing it is, until it eventually it starts to wear on me and I burn out.

The way to do it correctly is to go to one end of the seesaw, DOMINATE, then head back to the middle.

When another opportunity comes your way, you head to that end of the see-saw for a bit, DOMINATE AGAIN, and then head back to the middle.

Repeat.

Don’t work for harmony.
Pick your moments and WIN BIG.

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Inspirational Quotes, Leadership, Morning Messages, Personal Growth, Quotes

Everything is My Fault

Learn to take personal accountability for everything in your life = you making shit really happen in your life.

You’re in control of 100% of your life.

Yes, there are things that happen to you that you’re not in control of…

But no matter what you always control your reaction to them, and you control your mindset.

You decide if you are going to…

Play defense (complain).

Or

Ply offense (attack)

It’s no surprise that the humans that shape or worlds play offense!

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Morning Messages, Personal Growth

The Way You Do It Isn’t Right

The way you do it isn’t right. It also isn’t wrong.

The way you do it is the way YOU do it.

That’s because there is no RIGHT. Only right for YOU.

So don’t judge others for the way they do it, because that is THEIR right.

But more importantly, don’t judge yourself.

You’ll see someone that you look up to doing a Youtube video and WISH you could talk like that on camera, or you see an Instagram post and with you could take pictures like that…this silly list goes on and on.

Rest assured

You are doing it the right way for you…

IF YOU’RE DOING IT!

Don’t get caught measuring your success vs others, because it’s CREATIVE KRYPTONITE.

Nothing will stop you in your tracks faster than comparing your work to someone else’s.

Go do what’s right for you. And that’s going to take some testing, but you’ll never know until you do it!

Ready, set MAKE IT!

Love,

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Morning Messages, Personal Growth

The Internet Will Pay You (But You Gotta Hustle)

The internet is here, and it’s ready to start paying you.

So is it easier, or harder than getting a regular job?

I guess that depends on you!

So in this blog post, I’m going to give you the framework to get going and start earning. Let’s go!

It takes a lot of work to get good at something, but once you are good at it, I can 100% guarantee you there’s someone out there that will PAY YOU to do that that thing, rather than learn it themselves.

That’s the way ALL business works.

You need groceries, and you are willing to pay more to have it all in one place: Walmart.
You need your lawn cut, and you might be willing to pay to NOT have to do it. Landscaper!
You need your car fixed, and learning to do it yourself is DAUNTING, so you pay a mechanic.

So how the hell do you make money on the internet?

My first suggestion, and this is a key component here, is to start trying.

Novel idea, I know. But…

The more you talk about it, and the more you think about it, and the more you ponder it and contemplate it, and dread the fact that you don’t know how to do it, is just longer until you make it happen.

So do a fast brainstorm, and figure out what you are amazing at that other people are less amazing at.

Just make the damn list!

Once you do, ask you best friend, and your significant other, and your mom what’s missing from the list.

You’ll be shocked how many things your amazing at.

Ok next suggestion, make it a side hustle. Seems obvious, but I’m not saying that as a means to communicate to you NOT to quit your job, no.

I’m saying that with emphasis on the word HUSTLE. After all, what did you think this would be easy?

If you want to make it work, you have to STOP watching Netflix. You have to STOP sleeping in.

You need to be working at your job from 9 to 5 and then working on your side hustle from 5 to 11.

Here’s the punchline: You have to figure out how to turn that list of talents into a business, and then you have to get people to want to hire you for your service that you will provide.

Not easy, but well worth it!

And finally, my last suggestion, and maybe the most surprising thing you might expect me to say, but I mean it 100%…is to go join an MLM. That stands for Multi Level Marketing, or the dirty name it goes by is “a pyramid scheme”.

Joining an MLM isn’t something that you should take lightly, meaning, find one that you will enjoy and believe in the product.

Here’s why…nothing can teach you more about what’s called “Internet Marketing” faster than a good MLM. When you join, there person that enrolled you makes money off your sales, and that means they want you to succeed!

You will learn how to sell. You will learn how to communicate. You will learn to read other people, and you will have to hustle and get out of your comfort zone.

Yes, I am in an MLM and my wife is actually in two of them! It’s great! We earn some money from it, and we believe in the products and use them daily, and were learning a ton too!

Bottom line, if you want to do it, fucking do it…the side hustle I mean. Just be sure that you’re ready to hustle!

I’m in an MLM that I really like, hit me up if you want the details. I also have this blog as a side hustle, and yes, I have hobbies and a family. I’m starting our podcast soon, and we also have a live cooking show that we do on FB.

It’s all work, and it’s all totally amazing!

Happy hustling.

Love,

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Leadership, Morning Messages, Personal Growth

The Reason You Haven’t Accomplished Something Special (Yet)

The other day I wrote post called Imaginary Enemies where I talked about loving negative stuff like “haters” holding you down.

I didn’t know this at the time of writing it, but “imaginary haters” is a thing!! When I googled it I found a tons of memes!

imaginary haters Nick Glassett originleadership.com origin leadership

Now, I don’t happen to agree with all the memes, cause they are kind of mean!

But I do have larger opinions on this “haters” thing…

The Parade Without The Work

Anyone that says “Haters” are holding them back are people that want to have something special without working for it.

They’re talking about other people to distract you from the fact they aren’t doing anything.

There is no group of evil villains that twart your efforts to succeed.

You just don’t want to put in the work.

The poster child for this behavior is Johnny Manziel.

He wanted to be great, and he wanted to win and make an impact, but he didn’t want to practice. He didn’t want to watch film. He didn’t want to grind.

He wanted to Super Bowl Parade but didn’t want to have to work for it.

And guess what, he talked about haters too, and that means all he really wanted to do was TALK, TALK, TALK, and not do SHIT.

And in the end, he didn’t do anything but get labeled a BUST.

If you Think About Your “Haters”

I’m not trying to be mean, promise.

I actually spent a large portion of my life talking about things others should do, or what someone else should do to improve my situation.

I never talked about haters, but I surely talked more than I took action. I woke up to this fact after attending an amazing self development seminar called the Landmark Forum.

It was a sobering realization that I wait for others to do things, and I don’t take action myself!

It caused me to be a complainer honestly.

So…

I’m writing this hoping that someone will read it and can wake up to the fact that they are being a coward.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is taking action is the presence of fear.

If you want to do it, go do it.

If you’re not going to go do it, then stop talking about it. (That’s a message to you and me both!)

Thinking is NOT doing I post this because I struggle with it, not because I’ve mastered it and not because I’m immune to it. . . . Thinkers are brilliant people but we can sometimes get bogged down by over analyzing. Or like in my case, I think that because I asked a great question that it will do something. It won’t. That’s because THINKING IS NOT DOING. . . . The secret to success lies in ACTION. And that sounds obvious, but ponder the amount of great ideas that you’ve had that you didn’t do anything with…Invention, app, website, business, GOING TO THE GYM… . . . Every second matters. So waste none, take action, get started!! Employee Motivation Quotes

It’s not the Haters you gotta worry about.
It’s using the “haters” as a scapegoat that holds so many back!

Go do what ever it is you’ve been talking about! Go accomplish something that you’ve been thinking about!

Take action today!

Love you :-)

-NG

mnglassett@gmail.com Inspiration, Leaders & Managers, Leadership, Morning Messages, Personal Growth

Slay That Dragon (A Lesson In Problem Solving)

Good morning!

We all have problems, and we all need to solve them. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that the meaning of life is actually solving problems!

Read: How to Solve All Your Crummy Little Problems (and Truly Make a Difference) 

I have an analogy that I use to teach active problem solving; I liken it to slaying a dragon.

The Dragon is Born

Now, the important part of this analogy is the timing of WHEN you slay your dragon.

Generally, when something starts off as a problem, it’s starts off small.

It can be the check engine light in your car, an employee showing up 5 min late, your significant other not doing something you asked, or even a boss saying something that you don’t agree with.

Now here is where problems and dragons really start to resemble one another…when they’re ignored.

You let that check engine light go, or your boss does something that drives you crazy and you bottle it up…it starts to turn into REAL problem.

As it continues to go unaddressed, it gets bigger and bigger. By ignoring it, you’re actually feeding it.

Then your frustrations start feed it, and your ego continues feeding it.

Now He’s a Real Dragon, All Grown Up and Angry

Pretty soon your dragon is 30 feet tall, has 3 heads, breathes fire, and lives in a dark dirty cave.

The very thought of taking on that dragon is so threatening that you would rather talk about it with every person that you know versus deal with it.

By the time you’re FORCED to do battle, you have to wear a suit of armor, take your sword and shield, and venture into that nasty cave to take on the beast!

Instead…

If you act in the moment the problem is born, and address it (yes, with a tad bit of confrontation) the resolution of the problem will be very small.

Like slaying a dragon when it’s only 2 inches high!

You just swat it with your hand, and BOOM, it’s gone.

Heres a short 1 minute video of me teaching the concept to someone over the phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmDiQ4nU3WQ

Slay your dragons when they are small, and you’ll free yourself up to help others slay their larger dragons!

-NG