Reports are surfacing that Apple fired 800 Apple Store retail associates who cashed in on the $100 iPhone credit on the phones Apple gave them for free in the first place. Back when the iPhone launched, people that were employed by Apple for over a year were promised and delivered a free iPhone. 800 of these people decided to cash in on the $100 rebate offer.

Good for Apple. They have guts. The easiest thing for the corporates at Apple would have been to waffle or bury their head under the rug. After all, this massive firing took place in the peek of their busy season. But they dealt with the problem and sent a strong message to their other employees.

This is the confession of someone who hates confrontation. Normally Type-A people don’t dread confrontation, they are fueled by it! Not this one. I have never liked confrontation. This story has reminded me of the importance of dealing with problems and not burying my head under the covers while hoping they go away.

If you’re in ministry, you’re going to have people problems and conflict. Conflict develops because in ministry we are dealing with people every day. Here are eight ways to deal with problems right now.

1. Identify it. You cannot solve anything if you don’t know what the problem is.

2. Make sure you’ve identified the real problem, not a rumor of another problem.

3. Talk to people you trust. Gather as much information as you can.

4. Decide what to do. There may be more than one course of action.

5. Keep in touch with leadership. I’m talking about your pastor, your board, etc.

6. Make a decision.

7. Choose your plan. What are you going to do with this decision?

8. Be the Rock of Gibraltar and don’t move. Execute the plan.