Being in business today is tough, and the competition is fierce. Every day, I talk to corporate leaders who feel like they are stuck and swimming against a very strong current while their competitors are beating the pants off them at each and every turn. So much so that many leaders say they don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. Their reason for being a leader or opening a business years ago has faded and there seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

When asking the above question of a marketing guru, he or she may come back to you with some “band-aids” such as “Lower your price” or “Stand out more in the marketplace” or “Offer a special event” and so forth. Yet the main reason I see leaders lose their inspiration is because they are solving the easy issues and not tackling the big problems in their organizations. They shuffle papers or answer e-mails or hold a meeting, because those things are easy to do and they give a false sense of accomplishment. Anyone can do these tasks, because they are easy. It’s a true leader who can take a big problem and really tackle it.

Two years ago, I began working with a company on a very big challenge: getting the right managers in place and getting them trained up to a higher level of leadership. Sounds easy? Right? Well, here we are two years later, and we are still working on it, and it’s not easy work. It takes grind and grit. It takes coaching and mentoring. It takes giving feedback, both positive and negative. And it takes letting people go who just can’t cut it. This process is not only about developing people. It’s about changing a culture to a true coaching culture and sticking with it. The results have been tremendous, and we still have so much work ahead. I have felt the emotion of my client. I am there with him, working it out and supporting him every step of the way, because he is the real thing. He’s got what it takes to be a leader. He takes a big problem, and he embraces it and goes for it, and guess what? He’s inspired! Each time he experiences a success with a manager, he lights up the room, because he cares for the people on his team, and he wants the best for them.  He finds inspiration in watching other people succeed!  (And folks, that is what leadership is all about…if you are a leader, then the success of other people should be your main goal.)

When taking on a big problem, the key is to create a game plan and play the problem almost like you would play a game (and I don’t mean to diminish the importance of big problems.) The key here is that if you see problems as overwhelming and unable to be fixed, they will continue to fester, and your competition will walk all over you. BUT, if you take the big problem, sit down with the people you most trust and create a plan to solve it, you will find renewed optimism in your business, community or organization. Trust me, with the correct plan and the right people in place, you can find pleasure in solving the biggest challenge you have ever faced.

So, your time is here and now. Face the music, and face it boldly. You will be so happy that you did.

In the book, EDGE! A Leadership Story, we address several big problems and a major leadership crisis and show you how a superstar leader addresses them. The book will be on sale on July 1, 2008. We thank you for your support and encourage you to pick up a copy of the book on Tuesday, July 1.

How do you stay inspired when your business is struggling or your competition is beating the pants off you? Leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!