Over the years I have read plenty of letter’s to the editor, received emails with complaints and listened to people complain about this or that. Why is it that a majority of these complaints come with very few if any solutions? As a coach I am often criticised for the job I do. There is always someone out there who will not agree with what I have done whether it be a sub, a certain play or the way I have instructed the team to defend a particular situation. Interestingly when I say to the person complaining what would you do, they often don’t really have a relevant solution.

I always say to my assistants to challenge me with solutions not with the obvious. Give suggestions to what you see wrong, don’t just state what you see wrong. I love to follow the quote “Spend 20% of your time on the problem and 80% of your time on the solution.” Using this idea we as a team spend a far greater amount of time seeking answers that concentrating on the problem.

In sports administration I have seen some absolutely scathing emails to people who work very hard to try and make things right. I am amazed at the time that has obviously been spend putting together such a letter only to have the letter full of complaints with very little on offer to help solve the problems that have been presented. I can guarantee you most people are aware of the problems that may exist but are not sure of how to solve them. Even worse is when you contact these people to thank them for their feedback and ask them if they could help in any way and you get a negative answer. Such things as: sorry I’m not qualified (but you had time to be critical), I haven’t got the time (but you had time to be critical), I’m not interested in helping (but you where interested in being critical) etc. My opinion is if you are not willing to help solve an issue then keep your mouth shut. The world is of too many people to happy to whine and not enough people to help.

I know the world is different today and our lives are far busier. But we still need people to help out where they can. Yet parents are often the first to complain when things don’t go right. I think everyone has the right to complain especially when you are parting with your hard earned dollars but I think you should also be part of the solution not just part of the problem. So the next time you are writing a letter of complaint or ringing to complain also add a way to fix the issues. Offer some support, help make it a better environment altogether.

As a coach I love it when a person comes to me with a complaint as long as they have an idea on how to solve the problem. Healthy robust discussion is an invigorating experience that leads to great ideas to move forward. So on the other foot we should be prepared to listen to complaints and discuss them with an open mind so we move forward. It is when people close down in these situations that it is a negative experience. Together we can all move forward a lot faster than as individuals. Imagine if Gandhi had given in or Nelson Mandela. Both complained but had wonderful ideas to move forward. So the next time you have a complaint add a solution or the next time you receive a complaint seek the solution and have an open mind.

With energy

Shawn Dennis