How do you respond when someone brings you a complaint? Read Acts 18:12-16.
Gallio refused to resolve the complaint because it was not within his jurisdiction. As leaders, we are inclined to solve problems. We like to fix things. Sometimes, we fail to realize that some problems are not ours to solve.
When the problem is not your responsibility, use the complaint as a teaching moment. While you make it clear you will not solve the problem for the person, point out resources and options they can consider consider.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
It took me far too long to learn this myself. It’s still tempting to go into fix mode. It’s a struggle to just listen, but I know that is often what is best.
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May 8th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
I so agree! I am a fixer, too. When I was an elementary school principal, I followed a principal whose background was counseling. Teachers were used to coming into the principal’s office and pouring their hearts out. She would just listen and send them on their way, feeling better because they had been heard. My style was so different from hers. I had spent 24 years as a classroom teacher whose job it was to teach and to pose problems the students could solve – and to solve problems myself. When teachers came in to complain about something to me, I went about trying to fix the problem. I discovered (after waaay too long “pissin’ ’em off” – as I was told) that they didn’t tell me their troubles because they wanted me to step in… they just wanted a sounding board. That frustrated me to death! Eventually they learned to go to a teacher-leader to vent… and come to me when they wanted something done! I needed to have read your blog years ago… That last paragraph in this post is worth its weight in gold!! ❤
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