Ask and the opportunities will come knocking!

Ask and the opportunities will come knocking!

This article 1st appeared in SHRM on 11th November 2015

https://shrm.org/india/hr-topics-and-strategy/strategic-hrm/pages/ask-and-the-opportunities-will-come-knocking!.aspx

Ever since I remember, I always wanted to live a life of significance; a life with a positive impact. I have always believed that things could be made better. While many ‘What If’ scenarios cloud our minds, it is true that ‘whatever happens, happens for good’. Que Sera Sera!

However when life decides to play its part, one should not think about the past. We choose what we do and we are solely responsible for our actions. There are times when we believe that life is not playing out as per our plans and curse the almighty for it. And then there are moments where everything unexpectedly falls into place and we have a reason to believe that God has a plan. After all it is said, “Expect the best but make the most of what you have.”

A story comes to mind that beautifully encapsulates the dilemma, and how our conditioning leads us to take decisions which may or may not be right for us. One fine day, two friends went out fishing, and while both had their respective catches, one of them sees the latter catching big fish but tossing them back into the sea. Out of curiosity, the friend asks, “Why are you throwing away such big fish back into the sea. They could have been a good eat!” The friend replied, “Because I only have an 8 inch frying pan at my home. So anything that is bigger doesn’t suffice me!”

Needless to say the former friend was aghast. The latter could had just cut the fish into half and cooked them. This story perfectly rounds off where we go wrong in life. Just like this person, we also throw away many opportunities in our life thinking they would not suffice us. The trick here is to open our faculties and carefully scrutinize what we have in hand before deciding for or against it.

Another learning is that just like the person, most of us never question the accepted reality, and follow the herd mentality to go by the book. Hence the moral of the story is to ask questions, and seek answers to them.
A fact beautifully captured in David Sturt’s book ‘Great Work’ by the OC Tanner Institute says that all great people have always asked questions and challenged the norms to create something extraordinary. These geniuses have just not agreed to the linear, and have asked the right question to bring stark changes in the way we lead our lives. They have taken time to ask questions and think out on the edge, and challenged conventions that have brought advancements in life. Like these great people, we all have that inquisitive streak in ourselves. All that is needed is to take a moment’s pause and ask ‘What If’ and then seek answers to them.

In my role as a leader I always ask the ‘What If’ question as it helps me take the correct decisions in the right direction. At times I write the consequences of the scenario in hand and then deliberate over them to arrive at the right conclusion. This helps me strike out all the possible anomalies and believe in the decision that I am about to take.

Let’s go through some use-cases that perfectly encapsulates the importance of evaluating and grabbing correct opportunities:

1. Measure rewards versus risk - Let’s take a situation where you would want to change your job. At that juncture when you are reflecting over it, write down the outcomes that you foresee. Say better pay, more responsibility, longer working hours, etc. and see if it is in line with the career plan that you have. Also always ask yourself, what you will do if the culture of the company does not work for you or if you don't enjoy the people around, or even if the new job will be a leverage to grow within the opportunity. Once you ask yourself these questions, you would be able to measure the rewards versus the risk this decision could attract. This will empower you to take the right decision and arrive at a solution that is perfect for you.
2. Why worry unnecessary- Alike the ‘What-If’ confab, it is also important to understand if the perceived consequences arising out of deliberation really matter in the larger scheme of things? Quite a few times we are caught up in thinking too much into the consequences and letting go of the opportunity. The play here is to be smart enough to realize when to stop thinking and to take action. After all, the opportunity will not keep itself available for eternity, and will move to the next fit candidate if it fails to get a timely response from you.
3. Stop pleasing others - At times we remain in dilemma over an innocuous thought of what others will think about the decision that we wish to take. Either ‘what will people think’ or ‘they will not like it’, is the first question that arises in our minds. Now come to think of it, do people's opinion really matter? Will their comments or opinions really change your life? Also ponder over other questions like, do you aspire to be like them, or are these people's living their life the way you aspire your life to be? If the answer to any of the above questions is ‘No’ then their opinions do not matter at all. They have their own issues to tackle and really won't have the time to worry about you and what you do. So stop thinking about what others will think, and take the decision that your heart says is right.
4. There is another side to the coin as well - Not everything in this world needs to be scrutinized minutely. While it’s good to prepare for the worst case scenario, it’s also not advisable to be a pessimist. Always while looking out for the ‘What If’ question, think of the positive outcomes as well. For every challenge, encouraging results are possible and hence think of them. This will attract positive thoughts towards you and hence you will be motivated to take action to get positive outcomes.
5. Plan, and re-plan – People with knowledge always plan well, as once the entire plan is in place then they are confident of positive results and hence are assured of no consequences. There will be times that you will have to choose either of the outcomes when both of them are not so positive. Like a scenario of death or an accident. In such a case, where pain and dejection can be pre-empted, it is suggested to put down on paper the action points and the next steps. Though sometimes it is difficult to come to terms with the situation, one has to choose the one with a lesser pain. However it is very important to choose the right one and do the right thing even if it has bigger emotional pain. Remember ‘Everything that happens, happens for the good’, though the best may not make sense instantly. Be patient, as it’s the darkest just before the dawn.
6. Small decisions always make a big Impact – Be cautious while making small decisions or while questioning your actions for decisions taken in the past. It is always better to invest time and retrospect their relevance to make decisions more fruitful. These actions or habits which perceived to be small and mundane and thus ignored can have a large impact later on. Simple things like eating unhealthy food versus healthy food can have a negative impact later. It is always suggested to correct small bad habits to leverage a better future ahead. Remember, ‘you reap as you sow, and you always reap more than what you sow’.