The old question of whether the glass is half full or half empty is simple – the glass is always full. Air exists, it is a combination of gases, so even with no water in the glass, it is always full. The glass is full of opportunities.
How is your emotional perspective on news? Do you tend to see things from a pessimistic or an optimistic viewpoint? First off, there is no right way for everyone to emotionally experience the same things. But some of us will tend towards seeing opportunities.
There are countless examples of businesses making huge gaffs or having serious setbacks that they then turn around to their advantage. It took GoCompare ages to realise how much their moustachioed opera singer annoyed people, yet when they did they used it to up their PR by killing him off, blowing him up and generally doing away with him in spectacular fashion, thereby fitting with what their customers wanted.
Trunki had a business threatening situation when one of their manufacturers fitted dodgy locks that came off and were a potential hazard. They turned the problem into an asset by using humour messaging to convince irate customers to fit the new catches themselves.
Brexit happened, Donald Trump may be the next President of the USA, Rio has managed to host the Olympics….but what happens next? The UK could talk itself into a depression, Mr Trump might bring all kinds of unimagined and unpleasant surprises, and Brazil might abandon all of its pre-Olympic pledges.
BUT…difficult times always lead to something better, there is always an opportunity to make something positive out of a negative (well, in most cases); we just have to
- have the right attitude
- be curious and look at what opportunities might be waiting to be uncovered
- think innovatively; take a different perspective and see what comes to light.
It is the unexpected that often happens. Adam Peaty just won a gold medal for swimming, but as a child he didn’t like water, however that didn’t stop him pursuing opportunities to win.
To enable you to be curious and innovative remember the following:
- Look for perfection in the situation – what can you learn right now?
- Take full responsibility for the situation that you are in – what are you missing or not seeing? What are the powerful questions to ask to increase / deepen / make sense of your understanding? How might you have contributed to what occurred?
- Be clear about your desires / intentions and focus on them – go back to basics … check in with your values … how in alignment with them are you?
- Look for signs of life / momentum and be grateful
- Be loving, respectful and honouring of all others – colleagues, clients, customers, competitors especially when you both are at odds with your thinking and goals
- Focus on your environment – how can you clean up your act in all senses?
- Give yourself credit for amazing courage!
Isla Baliszewska and Halina Jaroszewska – 2016