Stop Setting Goals If You Would Rather Solve Problems

The central tenet of the book is quite profound. It's always baffled me why successful (and unsuccessful) people don't seem to write goals, formulate strategies and execute them. The same poor response rate holds true for entrepreneurs and preparing business plans. Put simply most don't bother. The low takeup rate doesn't invalidate the benefits of goal setting or preparing a business plan. You can achieve great things if you so inclined. In coaching circles we are trained to apply the SMART goal setting formula. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. I subscribe to Jack Black's perspective that goals should be a little unrealistic. The stretch is really to get you clients to achieve something they haven't before so may be inclined to retreat to their comfort zone. A good coach will keep stretching you out of your comfort zone - that's what you pay them for. An important insight I did have was how the author's proposition links to a popular theory within neuro linguistic programming (NLP). In NLP speak there are two motivational strategies - moving away (from pain) or moving towards (pleasure). Most sales professionals will tell you moving away from pain (or solving a problem) is a far more powerful selling strategy or motivator than seeking pleasure. It creates a sense of urgency. It creates disruption of the status quo and part of our innate being yearns to restore equilibrium or harmony. The proposition of the book was a tease. The promise of so much more. The author missed a golden opportunity to link real life metaphors with his point. I still found it thought provoking and well worth the read.

As a registered nurse of 20 years' experience, I have endlessly heard about setting goals with patients and setting my own goals. I cringed every time I heard this, because setting goals is NOT my style. Then this lovely book came along and changed the way I approached patient care planning with the patient and the way I approached planning in my own life. We were always taught to work with patients to set goals for their care. And, for years, I had seen a blank curtain come down over eyes and faces when I started talking about goals. Once I understood the principles in this book, I started changing my approach and even just my words, so that my predominantly problem-solver patients were not intimidated or put off. What an improvement. This book has not received the ongoing attention it merits, but I recommend to you that you read it and put it into practice. Its testimony is in significantly more effective nursing care planning with my patients. If my wide variety of patients generally respond better with the application of Bobb Biehl's principles, it will no doubt work in any other setting where you interact in planning with people. Do not knock this book until you have tried Biehl's principles in actual practice.

Another one of those "just two kinds of people" concepts. They are the goal setters and the problem solvers. Read it. Really liked it. Gave it away thinking I'd replace it. Unavailable. Thought it would be a big seller and available in paperback. Still looking to replace it and maybe give as gifts to others. I'm one of those problem solvers who is often frustrated by goal setters who have not "counted the cost". It's comforting to know that there may be nothing wrong with you if you don't like tossing your hat over the fence before knowing how you're going to get yourself over the fence. Biehl brings insight and information on how and why problem solvers and goal setters are both needed and on how they need to work together.