PROBLEM …..or Opportunity

A classic marketing axiom tells us that the identification of a problem presents an opportunity to find or create a solution…and then market that solution. Therefore, “problems” can be good, and bigger problems can be better because they allow us to reap even bigger benefits. It’s all in how we look at things. One way to apply this, in its most basic form, is that whenever we receive bad service, we should celebrate. Celebrate?  Yes, quietly celebrate, and realize that this is exactly how we can make our business thrive – because so many others fail to deliver great, or even good, service. Therefore, bad service becomes an opportunity.

But wait, there are two schools of thought; In the startup world, the great entrepreneurs of the world preach that a new business should be focused on solving a problem. Then you have the Drucker perspective that preached that you need to focus on opportunities and not fixing problems. What’s the difference between the two? Could they both be right in their own way? Peter Drucker says that fixing problems only gets you back to equilibrium of yesterday. That spending your energy and resources on fixing problems only diverts your attention on opportunities for the future. But how do we look the other way from problems while trying to capitalize on opportunities? Controversial and thought provoking.

“Problems almost always create opportunities – to learn, grow, and improve.”
-John C. Maxwell

“Every problem comes with an equal or greater opportunity.”
-Napoleon Hill

“When things do not go your way, remember that every challenge – every adversity – contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth.”
-Roy T. Bennett

“Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you depending on how you respond to them.,”
-Rick Warren

“An optimist is presented with a problem and sees an opportunity. A pessimist is presented with an opportunity and sees a problem.”
-Harry S. Truman

Look at the word and action of opportunity as that of having a positive connotation to it when the word problem has more of a negative connotation. If expressed or looked at in that light, I say that opportunity is the direction that businesses need to take to help continue their success now and into the future.