Do you wait until opportunity knocks, or are you constantly looking for the next break? Either way, traditionally, the fact you seek opportunity has a somewhat negative connotation. In the former scenario, you could be seen as passive and not hungry enough for results, and in the second, you might be seen a ruthless opportunist always on the look-out for the next opening to exploit.

This HBR article identifying the action logic for leaders described the role of the opportunist with distinct negativity.

“Our most comforting finding was that only 5% of the leaders in our sample were characterized by mistrust, egocentrism, and manipulation. We call these leaders Opportunists, a title that reflects their tendency to focus on personal wins and see the world and other people as opportunities to be exploited.”

The Oxford Dictionary definition for ‘opportunism’ is: “The taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle.”

Content retrieved from: https://incafrica.com/library/christina-lattimer-5-ways-to-recognize-a-great-opportunity.