LEADERSHIP
Turning Adversity Into Advantage : A Master Class By John Maxwell`
By Robert Wamai
Covid-19 pandemic has opened up the world of webinars in a novel way . Every day , most of us have a choice of about three , in addition to office meetings and presentations . Given our limited time and energy , we have to determine the webinars valuable to us . I listen to at least one per week . To better concentrate , I jot down key points relevant to marketing and strategy . In this column am sharing my take on a leadership webinar . I believe in the different spheres of our lives , we are all leaders in some way . The lessons are drawn from a four-part leadership series by John Maxwell entitled ' Turning Adversity into Advantage ' under his umbrella teachings ' Leading Through Crisis .' I extend my gratitude to Joyce Kaduki , a certified John Maxwell coach and trainer for inviting me to the Webinar .
Maxwell stated that he believes adversity provides us with advantages as the lessons learnt improve our lives building our will power and increasing our abilities . It also identifies the leaders . For uncertainty is a leadership opportunity . Those that stand up will eventually stand out ‘ they have to lead for as they cannot manage their way out of a crisis ’. This central belief was the basis of the series . I put the nuggets he shared into three buckets as it were . From where I sit , reading , watching , and listening , two things become crystal clear . First , in most cases , we do not get to choose the circumstances we find ourselves in . Second , we can ’ t avoid crises and bad times and they will be there for as long as we live .
A crisis can and should be beneficial : Maxwell views a crisis and the resulting adversities as a gym . The discomfort we go through makes us bigger , better , stronger and more mature . The " crisis gym " works by developing our muscles of resilience , building our willpower and character . Hardship changes the balance of risk and reward . It provides the command , the kick we need which reduces our inherent fear of failure which overrules the need to make changes during normal times . A crisis increases our focus , enabling us to see non-essentials we need to rid ourselves of .
It forces us to re-evaluate our conflicting priorities and reducing distractions , enabling us to concentrate on achieving our goals . Hardship thrusts us out of our comfort zone . It shifts us into a space of creativity that yields changes we would never have made otherwise . Lastly , a crisis strips us of options . When nothing is left on the table , we are compelled to make necessary adjustments . To illustrate the above points , he said that " every medicine we take was developed because there was a disease that needed a cure " and " most success manuals contain lessons birthed during adversity and in scary times ."
Our perception and reaction to the crisis makes all the difference : Our perspective is the determining factor for bouncing back from a crisis or not . The right perspective changes the problem from a stumbling block into a stepping stone . To do so , we must ask ourselves what we can learn from the experience . Maxwell gave the example of Nelson Mandela , who still held onto his dreams despite spending 26 years in prison . We must therefore ‘ always develop a positive life stance , continuously and consistently living a life of positivity . This is deliberate choice we should make for there is energy in positivity . Additionally , we need to master the art of reacting swiftly for speed is of essence . Timing is important too and we must act in what he referred to as ‘ in the middle of the crises ’. He explains that in the beginning we have options steadily decrease as time elapses . Towards the end the ‘ boat has passed and the opportunity lost ’. He summarised it as " today matters ’ and success is determined by our ‘ daily agenda ’. Notably , even though speed is of the essence , reflection before acting is paramount . Yesterday ' s lessons are useful in guiding as we make today ' s decisions by asking ourselves ; ‘ what did I learn yesterday , did I leave anything on the table ’?
What We Feed Really Matters : Maxwell explains that where we direct our focus determines how we navigate the crisis and whether we benefit from it . We either feed into our fear or our faith . He elaborates that feeding our fear paralyzes us and renders us incapable of making the right decisions . Conversely , feeding our faith turns the negative emotions into positive ones , giving us the necessary energy and drive to act . Consequently our mental and emotional well-being is affected by what we choose to feed . In all times , crisis notwithstanding , we should pour our energy into faith , not fear . For what we feed is magnified .
Two powerful , interconnected nuggets that Maxwell concluded with did not fit into any bucket : First , the importance of connecting with others during such trying times as we are in today . He said that connection with others begins with understanding what the other person is going through , known as empathy . One of the unintended consequences of a crisis is that it makes us relatable to others , for during troubling times , we relate easier resulting in enabling deeper more meaningful connections . This links to his final nugget , the importance of always working for the big picture . He said the big picture includes a larger circle of people such as family , friends , and colleagues who are in the same boat as we are . This calls for a fresh perspective , an understanding , and appreciation that the world is also made up of other people . Eventually , this makes us more mature and is an essential step in our growth journey . We must therefore always cultivate meaningful relationships at all times and widen the circle . In contrast , small picture thinking is about me and focusing only on my problem . It blocks our view and makes us selfish and withdrawn . Inclusivity in our thought and action makes the world a better place for all . If we read , reflect and follow some , if not all , the above nuggets in the end we shall say ‘ I made it ’
Robert Wamai is a trainer and advertising consultant , a passionate consumer advocate and believer in the power of brands . You can engage him on this or related matters via email at : Wamai . Robert @ gmail . com .
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