Business Leaders: Are you worried about the economic impact on your business?
Management Trainers: Is this your best opportunity to create value for your company?
“To whom much is given, much will be expected”
I always loved that verse in the bible. But as you will see, I have a MUCH different take on it.
Most of us tend to think it implies those who have all the benefits of a wealthy income and lifestyle have an obligation to give back. This is not a bad idea. Trusting in someone to reach down to those who are disadvantaged is a great idea.
But what if you’ve not been given all the advantages? What if you’ve only been given dis-advantages… what can be expected of you?
I have been given much adversity – how much will be expected of me?
Likewise, you may be experiencing some adversity in your business or work. How much is going to be expected of you?
Here’s the point: What are you learning? Some may learn “that which does not kill us, makes us stronger’. That’s a great lesson, especially given some of the hubris of our last economic boom in America.
It’s also true that we learn a lot of value… real value… when challenged by adversity. This might be expected of you to help your company during this economic downturn.
But what happens when you’re given more than just a little adversity? Or perhaps more adversity than your peers? What then will be expected of you? How much more could be asked of someone in those circumstances? Yet still, it rings out… “To whom much is given… much will be expected”
For me, a part of that answer is in teaching others to recognize the value of adversity. To do more than just learn from challenge and change, but to go the extra mile and actively seek it out. Welcome adversity and change. A question I ask myself is: ‘How much a better person would I be if a little adversity is beneficial?” And then “how much better would I be if there were more adversity?” and finally I ask myself “How much better would I be to others if I learned from THEIR mistakes and adversity, not just my own?”
Ultimately, “How much better would I be to the world if I taught this perspective to others… to learn from others mistakes and challenges as well as my own?”
What would the world be like in 10 years? 20 years? 50 years?
I have a lot to teach from my adversity. What do you have to teach from yours?
Alan Hill
http://quantumcommonwealth.com
June 24, 2009 at 3:09 pm |
Getting people to view challenges from a different perspective can be… Well, it can be challenging. But when they do start to see adversity in a different light, it can really power their leadership skills.
Great post.