The Incredible Power of Processing Issues
Why some leaders win under pressure while others panic. Learn the art of processing issues, strategic thinking, and crisis leadership from Your Next Five Moves.
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Why Strategic Thinkers Win When Everyone Else Panics
“You have control over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Every day, leaders face problems that demand immediate attention. A key client threatens to walk away. Markets crash. Competitors apply pressure. Personal issues collide with professional ones.
The issues never stop.
Yet what separates exceptional leaders from mediocre ones is not the absence of problems, but how they process them.
Patrick Bet-David, in Your Next Five Moves, argues that the ultimate competitive advantage in business is not capital, talent, or timing—it is the ability to process issues calmly, logically, and strategically.
Why Most People Fail Under Pressure
When chaos hits, most people look for:
- Someone to blame
- A distraction to escape
- A quick fix to make the problem disappear
These responses may feel natural, but they are costly.
Grandmasters don’t panic. They pause. They process.
As Bet-David explains, entrepreneurs rarely fail because of bad luck, markets, or investors. They fail because they refuse to abandon flawed assumptions and resist learning from problems.
Life is always happening. Your outcomes depend on how you process issues.
What Does “Processing Issues” Really Mean?
Processing is not reacting. It is structured thinking under pressure.
An expert processor does three things:
- Makes decisions using the best available information
- Subjects every issue to rigorous mental analysis
- Plays out multiple moves ahead to prevent recurrence
In short, processing is the ability to think strategically when emotions are high.
The Foundation of Great Processing: Personal Responsibility
The most important trait of a strong processor is ownership.
Great processors use the word “I.”
Poor processors use “they,” “you,” or “it.”
Instead of saying:
“These employees are lazy.”
An expert processor asks:
“What am I doing wrong as a leader?”
They reflect on:
- How did I contribute to this problem?
- What blind spots do I have?
- What must I learn to handle this better next time?
Blame creates comfort. Ownership creates growth.
The Three Ways People Deal with Issues
When problems arise, people typically choose one of three paths:
1. Blame
Externalize the problem. Point fingers. Protect the ego.
2. Escape
Scroll social media. Clear emails. Avoid hard thinking.
3. Process (The Winning Choice)
Pause. Take responsibility. Think deeply.
Processing requires discipline, but it is the only path that leads to lasting solutions.
Surface-Level Thinking vs. Deep-Level Processing
Most people are surface-level processors.
They seek quick fixes and short-term relief.
Great leaders are deep-level processors.
They:
- Look for root causes
- Think several moves ahead
- Design solutions that prevent recurrence
This is the difference between an amateur and a grandmaster.
A Real-World Example: Joe Rogan on Accountability
Joe Rogan once spoke publicly about a business partnership that frustrated him. Instead of blaming the other party, he said:
“I bought it. I allowed it.”
That single sentence reveals elite processing.
Rather than playing the victim, Rogan:
- Took responsibility
- Identified his mistake
- Channeled frustration into learning
He didn’t escalate conflict. He educated himself to avoid repeating the error.
That’s winning behavior.
The Three-Step Framework for Processing Issues
When something goes wrong:
- Take responsibility for your role
- Clearly state what you did to create the situation
- Channel frustration into learning and prevention
This mindset transforms problems into leverage.
Processing During a Crisis: A Leader’s True Test
Not all crises are self-created. Pandemics, accidents, and black swan events happen beyond our control.
Leaders may face crises related to:
- Health
- Technology and cyber threats
- Organizational
- Violence
- Revenge from a former employee
- Defamation of Character
- Financial markets
- Black swan
- Personal
- Natural
What determines survival is not the crisis itself, but how leaders respond.
Silence during uncertainty is one of the most common leadership failures.
In a crisis, communication, poise, and decisiveness matter more than perfection.
What Extends or Shortens a Crisis
The lifespan of a crisis depends on five factors:
- Strategy
- Emotional composure
- Overreaction (turning a 3 into a 9)
- Underreaction (turning a 9 into a 3)
- Ability to think five moves ahead
You may not control the event—but you fully control the response.
The Eight Traits of Great Processors
Exceptional processors share these qualities:
- They ask many questions
- They seek truth, not ego validation
- They don’t make excuses
- They welcome challenges and opposing views
- They are deeply curious
- They prevent problems before they escalate
- They negotiate logically for win-win outcomes
- They aim for permanent solutions, not Band-Aids
These traits naturally build trust—and trust creates leadership.
Why Great Leaders Treat Problems Like a Game
Expert processors don’t fear issues.
They welcome them.
A crisis becomes an opportunity to:
- Fix broken systems
- Strengthen teams
- Build long-term advantage
When leaders shift from panic to processing, they start winning consistently.
As the Chinese language reminds us, the word crisis shares a character with the word opportunity.
Final Thought
When you refuse to process issues, you live a lie—and pay the price.
When you take ownership, think deeply, and act strategically, every problem becomes a stepping stone.
That is the art of processing issues—and it may be your most powerful move yet.
So the best strategy is to hone your ability to process issues.
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