This quote often gets mis-interpreted from Sun Tzu’s Art of War. The concepts of turning disadvantages into advantages is all over that treatise, and likely influenced the writers of Star Trek.

Yeah, it’s another Star Trek Quote. Sorry.

In “Loud as a Whisper”, from Season 2 of The Next Generation, a deaf negotiator joins the crew in order to make peace in a centuries old conflict. Things go awry, and the negotiator’s magic chorus of translators is no longer around.

The Magic of Star Trek writing happens, and at long last the negotiator realizes his need to now teach each side sign language is the peaceful opening needed to resolve the conflict. He has turned his disadvantage into an advantage.

One characteristic of successful leaders is their ability to view every challenge as an opportunity. Some leaders do this naturally, others do it by conscious choice.

Every setback is a chance to change tactics, to use the strengths of their teams and organizations to gain success in a different way.