Or managed luck? I have not hidden the fact that an enormous amount of luck has blessed my work in asset management since the very beginning. But is it blind luck, ( just sheer good fortune)? Or did I somehow manage some of it, simply by being dedicated to making things work and being prepared to take advantage of any opportunities that presented themselves?
I have never been inclined to differentiate, just grateful for it all. However perhaps we should consider this for we all have luck (good and bad) and, while we know that we must take responsibility when things don’t work out so well, we are often far too modest about doing the same when things go well. But, surely, recognising what we did ‘right’ as well as what we did ‘wrong’ is equally important for progress?
Today I have posted Chapter 8 about the fortuitous events that made it possible to transit from a research position with the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee to a position where I could try implementing some of the ideas we had learnt. All 8 chapters are now available.
I believe luck can only happen when you can recognise an opportunity. Recognising an opportunity requires that you seek and acquire knowledge and information about what it is you desire. If you don’t educate yourself about something, you can’t recognize an inherent opportunity when it presents itself. Luck may be in the opportunity presenting itself or you stumbling upon the knowledge at an opportune time. If you are not ready for it, you can’t make your own luck.
I have been lucky in my career only because I have prepared myself for the opportunities that have presented themselves.
On another note, anytime I facilitate lessons learned workshop, I start with ‘what did we do right?’. I find this reinforces a positive atmosphere and reduces the defensive tension such workshops tend to start with. It also fortifies the desire the keep doing what is right. I find that we are so focused on correcting the wrongs next time that we often forget what we did right the last time.