Originally published April 2020. Updated November 20, 2025

By Laura Capell-Abra, Founder of Alpha Lupa

Challenges can defeat or define us. For managers, every obstacle offers a chance to evolve – to innovate, to inspire, and to show resilience in action.

Challenge in modern work

The modern workplace moves quickly. Teams are stretched, priorities shift, and uncertainty is constant. Instead of resisting it, use challenge as a creative catalyst.

Challenge is the crucible where growth happens. 

Without it, teams stagnate and innovation dies. Psychologists describe this as the “optimal challenge zone,” a state where tasks stretch but don’t overwhelm us, sparking engagement and creativity. For managers, reframing challenge as opportunity builds psychological resilience and a culture of experimentation. 

When handled well, challenge transforms anxiety into achievement.

Ask your team:

• What new ideas might emerge from this problem?
  
• What assumptions can we test?
  
• What small experiment could we run to learn faster?
  

When challenge is reframed as curiosity, innovation follows.

Using the Lupa Lens: Act

The Act phase of the LUPA Method is about momentum. Challenge calls for action, not avoidance. 

Managers who model experimentation encourage their teams to see setbacks as learning, not failure.

A reflection for 2025

Many teams are operating under sustained pressure. The best managers are those who invite challenge with clarity, not chaos. They normalise change and keep energy focused on progress.

Ready to help your team thrive under pressure?

Explore The Innovation Cycle and The High-Performer’s Playbook, hands-on interactive workshops that turn challenge into fuel for performance.