How Companies Can Find Opportunity In Adversity

How Companies Can Find Opportunity In Adversity

Founder and Chief Culture Officer of Ideal Outcomes, Inc. Author of the new book Culture Ignited: 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership.

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If it sometimes feels like you’re climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops, take heart. There’s opportunity in adversity.

Many companies have achieved considerable success necessitated by—and even inspired by—a business crisis of one kind or another. With around half of Fortune 500 companies created during a crisis, it can be argued that encountering adversity when running a company is a driving force behind innovation and creativity.

When your back is against the wall, I've found that this can drive you to make an all-out push to get back into a trailblazing position of strength and leadership. You’re also more likely to motivate and rally your team to pull together and overcome the obstacles.

Companies Overcoming Adversity

Look at Elon Musk’s groundbreaking achievements with Tesla and SpaceX. Despite production delays, financial hurdles and tons of skepticism within both the automotive and aerospace industries, he has soared to success.

Look at Apple and its continuing reinvention. Founder Steve Jobs accomplished remarkable things, was ousted and triumphantly returned after the company struggled with a sales decline and internal feuds. Since his death and the tenure of Tim Cook, Apple became the first company to achieve a trillion-dollar market capitalization while operating in an increasingly competitive marketplace.