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How You Can Use a Crisis as an Opportunity

Every crisis presents a new opportunity to begin a new stage in your life.

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We tend to associate the word crisis with cataclysms, events that change our lives for the worse and make us suffer. This is due to our need to live in a predictable world, where things never happen that we have not planned before. It does not have to be that way. 

A crisis can be seen as a rupture in life, as we previously knew it, but that is not always bad. Sometimes it can save us from ourselves. Every crisis is accompanied by a flashlight, allowing us to move forward. New life is born in the soil’s darkness when new plants sprout. 

Crises are probably a push from the universe, or our soul, to push us and allow us to accelerate our internal growth. Unless we feel uncomfortable, we are usually not very eager to explore new territories. It is the opposite of staying still and frozen.

There are as many crises as there are people and stars in the universe, and each gives us a chance to learn more about ourselves and grow inside. Through hundreds of clients, I have found that psychological and emotional disorders are often just the surface of real issues.

I have discovered that emotional or psychological problems are born because we lose touch with ourselves. Daily life usually seems to take up all our attention and effort, and we tend to think that we will have time to rest and relax later and that it is not that important to take time for ourselves.

We feel that our whole world has collapsed when we suffer stress, anxiety, or guilt. Those moments make the most sense because it is during a crisis that real change happens.

“In every crisis, doubt or confusion, take the higher path – the path of compassion, courage, understanding and love.” – Amit Ray

Delving into ourselves always means returning to places we do not frequently go to because they make us remember bad memories that hurt us. We are unaware that we suffer because we avoid facing pain, crying, dealing with what is not working out, and our dissatisfaction. By facing our demons head-on, we can erase the pain and give a new meaning to our existence.

Every crisis presents a new opportunity to begin a new stage in your life. You only realize your strength when things get tough and you have to use your power to get back in balance. It is only when you are under pressure that you become a polished and shinier diamond. Changing your perspective in challenging circumstances can help you become a better version. 

In these challenging times, there are numerous crises. Even if you are not looking for it willingly, save the opportunity if it comes. Just keep growing, keep evolving.

Cultivating the following capabilities will help us overcome crises with resilience and be able to transform them into opportunities:

Awareness

Resilient people are aware of the situation, their own emotional reactions, and the behavior of those around them. To manage emotions, it is essential to understand how we feel and the causes of our feelings without deceiving ourselves, hiding, without repressing.

Acceptance

It is essential to understand that setbacks are part of life. Our existence is full of challenges; this is the sheer reality. Although we cannot avoid many of the obstacles that come our way or prevent the vast majority of problems, we can remain open, flexible, and willing to adapt to changes without wasting useless energy fighting what we cannot change.

Internal control mode

Do you perceive that you are controlling your own life? Or do you blame external sources for your failures and concerns? Resilient people usually move in an internal control mode. They believe that their actions will affect a situation’s outcome. Of course, some factors are beyond our control, such as natural disasters or global economic crises.  The main thing is to feel that we have the power to decide how we think and what decisions we make that will affect our situation, our ability to deal with what comes, and our future.

Clear vision

When a crisis arises, resilient people can spot a solution. In dangerous situations, people sometimes get stuck in a narrow view. They cannot consider essential details or perceive opportunities or the need to adapt to new circumstances. Resilient individuals can calm down and reflect without being frightened.

Have Strong Social Connections

In difficult times, it is crucial to have people who can offer us support. It can be helpful to discuss our challenges and express the emotions that oppress us to gain perspective, seek new solutions, and take a little distance from the hurricane. Friends, family members, coworkers, and support groups can all be potential sources of social connection.

Identify yourself as a survivor, not a victim

In the face of any potential crisis, it is essential to see yourself as a survivor. Instead of thinking of yourself as a victim of circumstances, try to figure out how to solve the problem. Even when the situation may seem hopeless, we can remain focused on a positive outcome and maintain our inner balance.

Being able to ask for help

When our fortress falters, we must know how to ask for help. This can be done through books, a good therapist, or a coach who can help us develop our own internal capacities. We do not have to face all the challenges alone. 

Mónica Esgueva is the author of 8 self-development books published in Spain and Latin America, including the bestseller ‘Mindfulness.’ She studied with great spiritual masters, such as the Dalai Lama, for ten years in India and Nepal. She also completed several post-graduate studies and training, such as at Insead (France), UCLA, King's College (London), the NLP Center of New York, and more. She is known for combining the best parts of Eastern and Western spiritual currents as well as being a coach, spiritual guide, regressions therapist, lecturer, visionary artist, teacher, and economist. Besides her native Spain, she has lived in Paris, London, Tanzania, and Asia. Check out more on her website: monicaesgueva.com.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
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Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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