The Role of Serendipity in Leadership
Some people seem to have all the luck. They land dream jobs, meet the right mentors at the right time, or stumble into career-changing opportunities. Meanwhile, others feel like they’re constantly missing out—always a step behind, never quite in the right place at the right time.
But here’s the truth: Luck isn’t just chance. It’s something you create. Just as quantum science tells us that reality isn’t fixed until observed and acted upon, leadership luck works the same way—opportunities exist in a field of possibility until you engage with them.
Emerging leaders stepping into new roles often assume success depends on being lucky—being noticed by the right boss, happening upon a big opportunity, or making a lucky guess. But research (and history) show that lucky people aren’t just fortunate—they think and act differently.
This St. Patrick’s Day, let’s explore the science behind luck, what it means for leadership, and how you can engineer more “lucky breaks” in your career.
The Science of Luck: Is It Really Random?
Psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman spent over a decade studying people who considered themselves lucky or unlucky. His findings concluded that lucky people think and behave in ways that increase their chances of success. In other words, you create your reality by actively shaping the possibilities surrounding you.
The Four Traits of Lucky People:
- They stay open to new opportunities. They’re not rigidly focused on just one goal—they notice and embrace unexpected possibilities.
- They trust their intuition. They act on gut feelings, which are often the brain processing information faster than we realize.
- They cultivate a positive mindset. They expect good things to happen, and this confidence shapes their interactions.
- They turn setbacks into learning experiences. When things go wrong, they see it as feedback, not failure.
In short, luck is less about chance and more about how you interact with the world.
The Leadership-Luck Connection: How Serendipity Fuels Success
Think about the most significant breakthroughs in business and leadership. Most weren’t carefully planned—they came from serendipity, adaptability, and being in the right place at the right time.
Luck Is About Potential
In 1928, Alexander Fleming accidentally left a petri dish uncovered, and mold killed the bacteria inside. Many would’ve discarded the dish—but Fleming saw potential. His curiosity led to the discovery of penicillin, the first antibiotic.
Now, imagine you’re leading a team and a project doesn’t go as planned. Do you dismiss it as a failure or ask, “Is there something unexpected here that could lead to something bigger?”
Great leaders don’t just see mistakes; they see possibilities. Quantum science tells us that everything exists in a state of possibility until action is taken. Similarly, opportunities are all around in leadership—you must be aware enough to notice and bold enough to act.
How Emerging Leaders Can Cultivate More Luck
You don’t have to wait for luck—you can create it.
- Say Yes to More Random Encounters. Lucky people put themselves in environments where good things can happen.
- Attend industry events, even if you don’t know anyone. Accept that coffee invite or virtual networking call—you never know where it might lead.
- Engage in cross-team collaboration. The more people you know, the more opportunities come your way.
Tip: Challenge yourself to meet one new person this month who could expand your perspective.
Train Your Brain to Spot Opportunities
Many people walk past opportunities because they’re too focused on their existing plans. Lucky leaders stay curious and adaptable. Like entangled particles remaining connected across time and space—leaders who cultivate strong networks and open minds remain attuned to opportunities others might miss. The more you expand your awareness, the more ‘luck’ seems to find you.
- Instead of “This isn’t what I expected,” try “How could this be useful?”
- Instead of “I don’t have time for this,” ask, “What if I gave it 10 minutes?”
Tip: Start a serendipity journal—write down unexpected conversations, ideas, or insights that seem insignificant but could lead somewhere.
Learn to Trust Your Intuition
Many of history’s best leaders relied on gut instinct. That’s because intuition is not random—it’s rapid, subconscious pattern recognition.
- Steve Jobs trusted his instincts when launching the iPhone, even when experts doubted him.
- Oprah Winfrey built an empire by sensing what her audience needed before they said it.
Tip: The next time you have a gut feeling, pause. Instead of dismissing it, explore it.
Turn Setbacks into Stepping Stones
What do lucky people do when they fail? They ask better questions.
- “What can I learn from this?”
- “How could this setback lead to something unexpected?”
- “Where is the hidden opportunity?”
Consider Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. She failed the LSAT twice and was rejected from multiple jobs. But instead of feeling unlucky, she pivoted, created her own product, and became one of the world’s youngest self-made female billionaires.
Tip: Train yourself to look for the hidden advantage when something doesn’t go your way.
Start Today!
Luck is a leadership skill. The difference between “lucky” and “unlucky” leaders isn’t chance—it’s mindset, awareness, and action.
What You Can Do Today to Start Cultivating Luck:
- Put yourself in more serendipitous situations. Show up, even when you’re unsure.
- Reframe setbacks as opportunities. Every roadblock contains a lesson or a new direction.
- Sharpen your intuition. Pay attention to those gut feelings—they’re valuable data.
- Embrace the unexpected. Some of the best opportunities aren’t planned.
Luck isn’t magic—it’s leadership in motion. Just as possibilities remain in flux until observed and acted upon, your future will be shaped by the choices you make today. The question isn’t whether luck exists—it’s whether you’re ready to create it.
At InteraWorks, we believe leadership isn’t about waiting for the right moment but creating the conditions for success. We help leaders, like you, develop the mindset, intuition, and strategic awareness needed to recognize and act on the opportunities surrounding you.
Author – Stacy Cross
InteraWorks Programs + Branding Lead
About InteraWorks
InteraWorks is a global learning company on a mission to elevate the human experience at work. Specializing in professional development and performance enablement, we offer top-rated learning programs based on four defined conditions that must exist for individuals, teams including Effective Edge, Best Year Yet, and the Essentials series. Our integrated learning framework and online tools generate immediate and sustainable breakthroughs in performance. Through decades of working at all levels in enterprise companies across many industries, we’ve built a reputation for helping people and organizations harness their focus, mindset, talent, and energy to produce results that matter most.
We’ve defined four conditions that must exist for an individual, team, or organization to be effective within the arena of performance and development; Accountability, Focus, Alignment, and Integrity. We’ll continue to explore these and more in our blog and look forward to your engagement and interaction with us. Stay tuned as we engage the edges.