How to turn work challenges into opportunities

As offbeat as it may sound, most opportunities often come to us disguised as challenges. And as managers, every challenge unwraps an opening to take calculated risks as well as experiment with creativity. That said, managers have little choice when it comes to facing challenges - whether they come from economic conditions, competitors or customer demands. And there’s always a choice as to how you perceive this problem – as a challenge or an opportunity.

Follow these mantras to transform challenges into your next big opportunity.

1. Alter the attitude
The immediate response to any situation sets up a parallel chain of neurological events. Controlling this immediate response to deliver a positive outcome will help managers take charge of the current situation.

The conviction in your goals, a smart plan backed by creative solutions and the right mindset can lead to great and impactful results in times of any crisis.

2. Give clear directions
The biggest trouble to any challenge is the lack of a clear roadmap. Accept every challenge as your next playground to test new ideas. Your job depends on your capability to evaluate and manage risks at any given time. What allows you to do this is the fact that many risks are tangible - they can be recognized through analysis and measurement. Amidst any crisis, never forget to chart a roadmap that leads to a solid outcome or achieves an objective.

3. Stay ambitious, yet calm
We are all familiar with the ‘survival of the fittest’ but what makes us fittest at work? Individuals, especially managers, who are on the path to rising up the corporate ladder while remaining calm are best able to cope with challenges. Remember – leaders are not born they are made. An organization's chances of getting ahead largely depend on its employee’s ability to adapt to change. Accept every challenge as an opportunity to change and transform.

Moreover, Encourage peers and team members to spot opportunities that influence their surroundings – show them how proactively seeking improvements can help them get ahead. In this way, your peers become your closest allies in creating and sustaining change across the business.

4. Prioritising is key
Unfortunately the business cultures in some companies have unintentionally normalized themselves to the idea that everything is urgent. Especially as we enter into the New Year, a number of the issues you have already been dealing with may now have been re-labeled as urgent or even critical. It times of crisis how can one get a better perspective on what may feel like a lot of pressure? The answer lies in prioritizing. Just as every business has a vision, a project has a goal and an individual has a to-do-list, prioritising most critical tasks (which may be at the helm of becoming a challenge) will eventually avert a lot of risks.

Why not another work resolution this year? Instead of looking at challenges as dead-ends learn to embrace them and turn them into opportunities.

Need more advice like this? Check out our Career Centre for career guidance, advice and tips!