O B S T A C L E S

What are they?

Where are they?

Where do they come from?

How do we manage them?

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

An Obstacle is…

• Webster defines as…

“something that

stands in the way or

obstructs progress”.

• Obstruction

• Hindrance

• Impediment

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Discussion Session #1

• Review definition of Obstacles

• Discuss “personal” definitions

• Discuss road block graphic …

– What does Wall represent?

– What emotions are characters conjuring?

– Are there any routes around the wall?

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Daily Obstacles Grid Exercise

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Daily Obstacles Grid Sample

Society Employee

Issues

Family

Issues

Economy

Growth: Company/Personal

Supervisors/

Management

Politics Personal

Issues

Loved Ones

Friends

Co-workers

Faith

Goals: Company/Personal

Finances

Motivation

Fulfillment

Satisfaction

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Discussion Session #2

• Compile “grid” of Daily obstacles

• Identify/review common road blocks

• Review/discuss methods of overcoming:

– Stumbling blocks vs. Stepping Stones!

– Concede or Conquer?

• “Are you a victim of, or victor over your obstacles?”

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Obstacle Management

• How we manage

obstacles on a daily

basis…

• …determines whether

we “move” or stand

still!

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Obstacle Management

• Sometimes we can feel

as though we are on a

“sinking ship” with no

hope for salvation.

• What happens when

we feel this way?

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Obstacle Management

• How we feel about

ourselves will

reflect in how we

see ourselves.

• How we see

ourselves is how

others will see us!

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Obstacle Management

• If “Perception

is reality”,

then…

• How do we

change our

Reality?

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Applying The 5 P’s* to Managing

Obstacles

• Purpose

• Pride

• Patience

• Persistence

• Perspective

• * Adapted from: The Power of Ethical Management by Kenneth Blanchard and Norman

Vincent Peale.

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Purpose

• The reasons for which

we exist…an intended

or desired result…

• Aim

• Goal

• Determination

• Design

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Pride

• …the state or feeling

of being proud

• Self-esteem

• Self-respect

• Ego

• Vanity

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Patience

• The bearing of annoyance, misfortune, pain without complaint, loss of temper or the like…

• Composure

• Stability

• Endurance

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Persistence

• The act of continuing

firmly in some

state…or purpose or

course of action in

spite of opposition…

• Indefatigable

• Pertinacious

• Tenacious

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Perspective

• The facts known to one

in having a

meaningful

interrelationship…

• The faculty of seeing

all the relevant data in

a meaningful

relationship…

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

The Most Difficult Obstacles

• …“are the ones we

place in front of

ourselves”…MDK

Created by Michael D. Kerwick

Daily Creed

• “Lord, let me commit

this day…to not be the

one who gets in my

way!”MDK

Created by Michael D. Kerwick