Remember when you were a child and it was time to go to sleep? Chances are you did everything possible to avoid that dreaded moment called bedtime.

You’d take an extra long time putting on those fuzzy pajamas, spend 10 minutes brushing your teeth, then suddenly remember that you were thirsty and needed a glass of water. If all else failed and you were out of stalling tactics, there was always that last resort to delay the inevitable: run away and hide.

Well, those tricks aren’t just for youngsters – some adult lawmakers in the state of Wisconsin are doing the exact same thing.

Fourteen Democratic lawmakers disappeared from Wisconsin on Thursday, just as the State Senate was about to begin debating a measure aimed at easing the budget crunch. By refusing to show up for the vote and running away to Illinois, these Democratic lawmakers are hoping to prevent Republicans from passing what some consider a flawed budget repair bill.

While the mainstream media has kept busy the past week debating which side is to blame, I am viewing this from a more business-based perspective.

The fact is you can’t hide from your problems. Whether you’re a fresh-faced toddler who genuinely believes that bedtime will disappear by hiding behind the couch or an arrogant lawmaker who chooses to avoid reality by escaping to another state, the problems posed by the situation will remain – and the only way to fix things will be to tackle them upfront.

Just ask Steven Slater.

This past August, the JetBlue flight attendant got involved in an altercation with a passenger on a flight from Pittsburgh to New York City. The incident garnered significant media attention when, upon landing, Slater announced over the plane’s public address system that he was called an obscenity by a passenger and had enough. He then grabbed a beer from the airplane’s galley, deployed the evacuation slide at the terminal gate, and slid down it onto the runway.

Slater was promptly arrested by the NYPD, fined $10,000 by a court, sentenced to a year of probation and lost his job with JetBlue.

While he made the headlines initially, it would have been wiser for Mr. Slater to address the problem upfront with the passenger – and notify his supervisor if necessary – as opposed to avoiding reality by sliding down the airplane’s emergency chute. It’s safe to say this wasn’t exactly the best possible move to enhance his career.

As such, here are a few Ptex Practical Pointers that can be implemented when addressing challenges to facilitate a positive outcome.

Approach It: Address challenges immediately and don’t make the mistake of waiting until things get out of hand. Whether it’s dealing a difficult client or collaborating with an incompetent business associate, be sure to tackle the issue head-on and aim for a positive outcome.

Analyze It: Review all the options at hand and carefully devise a strategy that will allow you to keep a grip on the situation for your short-term and long-term approaches. Taking a moment to pause and think things over could save you weeks – or even years – of heartache in the future.

Ask It: Don’t be ashamed to seek out advice from others who have been in the same situation. No matter how daunting the challenge may seem to you, there is almost guaranteed to be another person out there who has encountered those circumstances and successfully resolved them.

Oh, and if you are by any chance heading to the Wisconsin region, feel free to drop this newsletter off at the State Capital building. There are quite a few politicians there who could learn a thing or two from it.

Onwards and upwards,

Meny Hoffman

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