The term struggle has always been associated with negative attitudes. And yet, artists, parents and leaders in society have often created the greatest value and realised their greatest achievements following the greatest struggle. People who are disabled, rejected or repressed often discover more potent or original ways to express their individuality and innate power. But this rarely comes without a struggle.
There is an ancient tale of a boy who sees a butterfly struggling to get out of its cocoon. He feels so sad watching the new born butterfly struggle. He wants to help so he cracks open the case of the cocoon. The boy is overjoyed when the little butterfly leaps out of the cocoon. The butterfly flies several yards and then it suddenly collapses onto the floor and dies. The boy’s mother hears her son crying and rushes over to ask why he is so upset? On seeing what has happened, she explains to her son that the butterfly builds the strength of its wings through its own struggle to get out of the cocoon. This is nature’s way of creating itself. To build our immunity to a disease, doctors inject us with a safe dose of the illness, to teach our system to learn and grow. This tension or ‘stretching’ is part of natural creative processes of life. If it is appreciated, it results in unique value, if it is ignored, repressed or avoided, it can become quite destructive.
One way to deal with human development is to appreciate the nature of struggle. Once we yield to the source of a struggle we may find the basis for new value. A struggle is not necessarily a bad thing. It the basis of learning and growing, it is the heart of creativity and innovation. A struggle is only depreciating (destructive) when it is ignored, denied or repressed.
It is important for us to learn to listen to our own ‘struggle’ and to each others ‘struggle’. Listening in itself is the most important thing as it creates space for the struggle to breath. Some people struggle with what we call ‘capability conversion’. This means that they have a calling, a capacity that needs to be realised or experienced. It is a hollow feeling, as if something vital is missing in their life, it is theirs and they want it back. Their capacity has grown over time creating a space or “a calling” to be fulfilled. Our capability calls to us, the only way to answer the call is to ‘realise’ and come to terms with the capability within and then to realise it by applying it through the acquisition of new skills, knowledge and experiences.
Converting capacity is easier if the individual and the institution they are working in (be it a family, a church, a military unit, a charity, government department, private business or a public corporation) is fully aware of what is going on in doing so they provide the necessary space and support.
Other people are struggling because their growth over time is going through a transition to a new level of complexity. Similarly this struggle finds new energy and confidence. If an individual or an organisation knows what it is and that it is OK.
Another aspect of struggle can be seen in the conflicts that occur between individuals and between groups when they fail to appreciate each other’s capability or ‘calling’. We see this phenomenon constantly in all manner of institutions, large or small. When people are not given sufficient space or discretion to experience or express their latent potential or to apply their judgment, they break the bounds of the formally defined roles that contain them.
Roles are not fixed, they are constantly evolving as the context, constitution and environment within which these roles exists is constantly changing. For example if a role (of a father, mother, son, daughter, neighbor, farmer, nurse, banker or bus driver ) is too narrowly defined, individuals will vent their frustration or find other ways to express their capacity. If a role is too loosely defined leaving, too much space for discretion, with little opportunity for feedback and learning, then the individual can become be overwhelmed, afraid and confused. In these conditions, without vigilant support around them, individuals shrink the role to into a shape and size that fits their capability. This is how many organisations are designed. Being trapped in these conditions consumes more energy that it creates and over time this erodes health, confidence and sense of self-worth.
We often see this ‘struggle’ when an individual in an institution is being required to report into another person who is has less capacity for abstraction or complexity. We call this struggle “structural conflict”. Structural conflict is not the same as personality or cultural conflict. Structural conflict occurs when different levels of complexity of work are not aligned or nested properly with each other and directed towards shared aims or purpose.
If a leader is unable to see (appreciate) this, the struggle will be a negative one, destroying value and squandering latent potential, sometimes for years. We do have experienced managers who appreciate and understand the implications of the capability of those that report to them and are able to, coach and nurture this talent. These people often become life-long friends and associates. Once this struggle is appreciated it often immediately addressed. Thus there is a negative aspect of struggle, when an individual is reducing the size and shape of a role to fit their comfort level. The impact this has on others and themselves can be very damaging. This is when the need to bring their attention to the need for support, collaboration and capacity conversion becomes critical.
This is addressed by developing the skills, knowledge and experience . The key is to allow every individual to become self aware, so they are conscious of their own capacity and also how their decisions and behaviors affect others in the work place. One of the most important tasks of any leader is how much space to create and where to create boundaries so others are able to grow?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish, her election
Hath seal'd thee for herself; for thou hast been
As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing,
A man that fortune's buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks: and blest are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled,
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart.
Hamlet, Act III, scene ii
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