Reflection Point – The Challenge and The Opportunity

Many of you reading this will be familiar with the foundational work we do with
leadership development and in coaching about mental models and creative versus
reactive leadership styles, based in the work of The Leadership Circle. (if you aren’t,
feel free to ask me more about this!)
I often re-frame this for myself as – considering the Challenge versus the
Opportunity. Some might say instead, a glass half empty versus glass half full
view. I’m sure as I write this you can easily think of those leaders you know who
readily represent one or the other! It is a powerful anchor around mindset and the
ability to choose where you are at, or where your mindset is located.
For those of you living in South East Queensland it has been a very interesting last
week with Cyclone Alfred. With so much caution directed by the authorities, and
some inevitable fear created by the media, it was easy to fall into a fear mindset, a
lack of control, feeling at “effect” of so many uncontrollables. Indeed for many, sadly
the implications of this weather system are continuing.
For me as I reflected during the expected cyclone period, it was easy to feel like we
were caught up against or “caught in the challenge”. Like it was happening to us
and we had no control.
Notwithstanding, I noticed in the media stories of locals taking advantage of the
opportunities presenting to them to take back some control – get sandbags, prepare
their properties, prepare their families with the necessary supplies for the worst-case
scenarios being positioned. Acknowledging the seriousness of the likely situation,
taking responsibility and preparing accordingly.

I considered regularly over the long weekend whether my mindset was that stuck in
challenge, driven by fear of a threat which was very real; or instead seeing and
embracing the opportunity available to me – to take responsibility and ownership of
what I could control and not allowing fear to drive my behaviours and decision
making.

Using this analogy of Challenge versus Opportunity, or should you prefer, the
Reactive versus Creative mental models, consider the following reflection questions
with relation to your leadership mindset.

Question 2

How does this impact those you lead or influence?

Question 3

What is the situation you are facing right now where you have the ability to
choose to see the opportunity over the challenge?