It’s autumn and everyone is talking about the dangers of “deering while driving.”  It got me thinking about how humans handle problems.

There are 1.5 million car-deer collisions annually.  Deer crashes kill some 150 people per year.  The deer don’t fare well, either, mostly because few of them are wearing safety belts. Tweet

Here’s a surprising driving tip

The article lists three ways to avoid an unwanted wildlife encounter:

1)  Stay alert.  Deer are the most active at dawn and dusk.

2)  Deer travel in herds.  If you see one animal, there are probably many more nearby.

The third piece of advice is rather surprising:

3)  Don’t veer for deer.  Experts say that swerving is much more dangerous than hitting the animal.  Veering could easily introduce oncoming traffic or an unforgiving bridge abutment into the equation.

Sometimes, it’s best to face a problem head-on

The “don’t veer for deer” lesson is a good metaphor for other types of problem-solving.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to stay alert for communication problems related to customer service, marketing, and such.  And yes, these problems often “travel in herds.”

Lots of us try to avoid problems by ignoring them, procrastinating or even denying the problems exist.

Yet, in many cases, it’s best to confront the problem head-on.  Face the problem as if you would position yourself directly in front of a camera.

Let the conundrum collide with your personal life or your work routine.  This will create a unique opportunity to uncover a solution. (more…)