Clay in the hands of a potter

The most influential German language writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, was not only astute with his pen but also a sage of the highest caliber. He once said, “... everyone holds his fortune in his own hands like a sculptor holds the raw materials he will fashion into a figure. But it’s the same with that type of artistic activity as with all others. We are merely born with the capability to do it. The skill to mold the material into what we want must be learned and attentively cultivated.”  

How significant is a tennis racket in the hands of Lionel Messi? Not significant. Apart from status, what consequence is a Ferrari Formula One racing car under the drive of Novak Djokovic? Zero. Of what impact is a well-woven turnaround business strategy in the hands of a grave digger or gardener? No impact at all. 

Ok. Put a football at the feet of Messi - what results do you get? La Liga, UEFA Champions League, and a Ballon d’Or winner. Place a tennis racket in the hands of Coco Gauff, Serena Williams, or Novak Djokovic – what’s the outcome? Grand Slam winners. Devote a turnaround business strategy to Jack Welch - what is the result? Blue-chip General Electric. Put Louis Hamilton or Max Verstappen in the seat of a Formula One racing car - what happens? Grand Prix winners. Position a set of microphones, guitars, drums, and percussions in front of Bono, Larry Mullen Junior, Adam Clayton, and Edge - what result do you end up with? U2 with 150 million albums plus 22 Grammy awards. Lead Tiger Woods to a golf course, place a golf club and ball in his hands. What is the outcome? A multi-PGA Tour winner. Deposit a pen in the hands of a sage of syllables and titan of text, Ngugi wa Thiong’o - what’s the upshot? A stack of influential literary works: The River Between, Weep Not Child, Petals of Blood, The Devil on the Cross, Matigari, A Grain of Wheat, and The Black Hermit. Most of Ngugi’s works are on the syllabi of secondary schools and literature departments in many African universities. Know your niche. Be acquainted with the resource that you can excel with or thrive under. Don’t get stuck with a tennis racket when you know you need a badminton racket. Avoid being busy with a spoon when you need a spade. Don’t get held up with the tools of a chef when you are a taxi driver.

It was initially planned that David would fight Goliath in the armor that belonged to King Saul. David was not comfortable with the outfit. It weighed him down. He took the armament off and threw away the shield and spear. He approached Goliath with nothing but a crude sling and a small kernel of stone, . . . the tools that he was comfortable with, . . . the resources that made him effective and adept. You and I know the result of the fight. David came out victorious. The vital lesson for you and me? Let us be acquainted with and use the chattels that make us effective in life.  

The very ground that you step on and makes your feet dirty is the exact spot that a potter collects his clay, moistens it, and churns out a masterpiece cup that you and I drink our coffee from. Weird but wonderful. The point, dear reader, is that no matter how sophisticated, popular, intelligent, or strategy-savvy you may be, if you are in a despicable environment or toxic relationship, you can’t blossom. You can’t advance your artistry. You can’t be appreciated. Be discerning. Seek and go to circles that value you and your attributes. There is no point in being a shark in a pond. Sharks swim and flourish in deep seas. Why associate with ducks when you know you can fly with eagles?

A celebrity musician in a faraway country was invited to perform in a certain city. He was a very successful musician with 250 albums to his credit. A maestro. The organizers planned two shows. The first show took place in the open boulevard in the city center. The second one took place in the city’s main theatre. Considering the number of people who frequented the boulevard, organizers had expected to have a record number of spectators for the open street show. It was not to be. Only a handful of spectators showed up. They cheered him occasionally. The maestro raised a meagre eight hundred shillings in tips. A few hours later, he performed at the city’s main theatre. A record number of spectators attended the show. Seats were sold out. The musician walked away with twenty-seven million shillings as tips. There is a big leadership lesson that we can draw from the story. The episode proves that extraordinary in an ordinary environment does not shine. It is undervalued. Overlooked. Seek associations where you are valued.    

When clay is on the ground, it is never valued. We step, stamp, and stomp on it. But when a potter collects, moistens, and churns it out into a piece of pottery, it regains value instantly. Does it mean that when clay is on the ground, it does not have value? It has value - only that its value is concealed or obstructed by the toxic environment. Do something to upgrade yourself. Make yourself valuable. 

When clay is in the hands of a potter, the ceramist does not hasten to churn it into a piece of pottery. He first sizes it up, then cures it before fashioning it into a masterpiece. The secret is to ensure that the clay is supple and malleable. If it is not supple and malleable, the process is delayed or does not take place at all. The clay is, consequently, thrown away. The cardinal mistake that many people make when they embark on a new career or move into a new environment is to think that they are better, more grounded, or more knowledgeable than the people they find in the new environment or workplace. Before long, they end up embarrassing themselves.  

No matter how polished or conversant you may be with the subject or modus operandi of your field, when you enter a new environment, whether it is a place of work, marketplace, or school, you start as an apprentice. As an outsider. As a beginner. Every workplace or school has its conventions. There may be standing standard operating procedures, social and ‘political’ dynamics that you need to acquaint yourself with. There may also be other unwritten rules that you need to adhere to for you to fit in. What most of us tend to do is to show an ‘I know it all’ attitude. We crowd our minds with thoughts of impressing someone in the new set-up, getting their attention, and proving ourselves. Sooner or later, it works against us. Why? Because our job is not to impress people, but to offer something of value to them. Most of the set-ups that we see or try to be part of have existed for many decades, if not centuries. The people in these set-ups have compiled, for many generations, knowledge of how to get things done in a particular way. They have established what psychologists refer to as ‘... this is how we do things here.’ Every establishment has its own silent rules that you, as a newcomer, need to observe and embrace. Failure to do that, you are alienated. Completely. Forever.  

The most uplifting compliment that you will ever receive in life is that ‘... you are different,’’... you are unique.’ Be different. Brand yourself as an authority in one field. Avoid scattering your brilliance into many areas. Remember the wise words of Confucius, “... a person who chases two rabbits catches none.” Identify one area of expertise and work like crazy to find your sweet spot. The difference between ordinary effort and extraordinary effort is extra. Go for the extra effort. Dig deeper into the sweet spot of your niche area. 

I see it every day, wherever I go. Someone who is not grounded in economics tries to outdo a dean of economics in matters of fiscal and monetary policy. Someone who does not know the law summons the courage to debate with a law guru. Most of us scatter our attention by engaging ourselves in too many activities and fields. We spread our resources and abilities too widely. As a result, we end up being an average performer. If we are to remain effective and garner worthwhile results in life, we must leave crucial matters to experts in the field to unpack issues that move the needle. Leave science to scientists, accounts to accountants, law to lawyers, biochemistry of plants to botanists, disease control to medical doctors, and commercial cookery to chefs. If you try to be snobbish and wear an ivory tower mentality, you risk experiencing something psychologists call the Dunning-Kruger effect – a situation where someone with limited knowledge of a given topic significantly overestimates their understanding. You embarrass yourself by being out of context. Know your area of expertise and develop systems that make you and support you as a guru. If you try to be a jack of all trades, verily I say unto you, you will end up being a master of none.  

When the high powers created the earth and heavens, it is reported that every bit of creation in and on it, and above it, had equal value. Gold had the same value as flora and fauna. How did gold become more valuable than the other creations? Whereas clay is found everywhere, gold is found in specific places. This obviously makes the latter more valuable than the former – the law of supply and demand came into application even before the invention of time. Are you the type of person who is available to everyone, every time? If yes, think twice. You are doing a disservice and injustice to yourself. You are diluting and eroding your value needlessly. Know when to show up and when not to show up. And when you show up, [please] bring something of value to the table. That way, you will be appreciated. That way, your skills will be rewarded. That way, you will be honored as a guru.

How does one become a person of value and maintain eminence? By staying in the sweet spot of one’s niche. Your environment matters. Every environment gives a different feeling. And you know that feelings are the ancestors of high performance. High performance thrives in specific environments. Athletes never fail to amaze me. I have read about great footballers in Europe who turn down lucrative deals with big money to manage teams or play football in Major League Soccer in America or the Saudi Pro-League in the Middle East, preferring to play in English, La Liga, and Serie A leagues and earn relatively lower paychecks. Why? To maintain merit and value by coaching or playing in more competitive leagues. Seek environments that bring you the energy that matches your life goals and service to humanity. When you identify the environments where you thrive, focus on expanding those spaces and growing yourself. Yes, your surroundings matter. Sages from the East have a wise saying that needs rehashing: “... the ocean is full of treasure, but if you swim on the surface, you won’t see them at all.” Select your tools and environment wisely. They can make or break you. Choose to be clay in the hands of a potter, not clay on the ground. Those who understand this fundamental principle rise to stardom and become great.      

Lester Chinyang’anya ǀ General Manager - Operations ǀ Minet Malawi