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John Gregory Ohio - Solution Oriented

We all approach problems in a different way. Some people, when confronted with a problem, may begin to focus on it obsessively, or wonder what they did to make the problem emerge. This is referred to as problem-focused thinking. Other people immediately begin to think about the steps they need to take in order to resolve the problem. This is a more pragmatic approach, and it is referred to as solution-focused thinking.

When it comes to making a problem go away, problem-focused thinking is the least effective way of dealing with it. Focusing on the problem itself wastes a lot of time that could be better spent in searching for a solution. It does nothing to help us resolve a difficult situation, and in those cases where time is a critical element, then focusing on the problem is really counter-productive, doing more harm than good.

Solution oriented thinking can be applied to other facets of our lives, not just to a specific problem or difficult situation. When you start to think about it, many of the decisions we make are either problem or solution oriented. When we begin to understand and accept that we cannot change certain facts or problems then we get past problem-oriented thinking and start thinking about solutions. If we clarify for ourselves that the task we don't like might be important then we can apply solution focused thinking, a much more productive approach.

John Gregory is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Urban Solutions, and is by nature a solutions-oriented man. His commitment to problem solving has earned him the name, "The Solutions Man."

John Gregory Ohio

African American Health Issues

Health researchers say that there is still a long way to go in finding solutions to some of the serious health issues facing many African Americans, males in particular. Fighting back against some of these health issues means new genetic research and improving health education; it means addressing the disparities in health care and making investments that specifically target the health of black Americans.

As examples of some of these health problems, they say that diabetes is sixty percent more common in black Americans than it is in white Americans. African Americans are two and a half times more likely to undergo limb amputation and five and a half times more likely to develop kidney disease as a result of diabetes than are others who suffer from the condition.

African Americans are also three times more likely than are white American to die from asthma and sixteen times more likely to suffer from a lung scarring, or sarcoidosis, than are whites, and black men are fifty percent more likely to get lung cancer than are white men.

These ailments, along with heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, lower respiratory disease, homicide, and Alzheimer's disease are among the leading causes of death in African American men, along with hypertension, lupus, and prostate cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

John Gregory of Ohio is a solutions-oriented man who is committed to doing something about these terrible statistics. He is the Founder of the African American Male Wellness Walk Initiative, now heading into its eleventh year, which is intended to raise awareness about these issues and also provide free health screenings in Ohio. The 2015 edition of the walk is scheduled for Saturday, August 8th.