Nutella is arguably the world’s favorite snack. In fact, worldwide, one jar of the chocolate-hazelnut spread is sold every 2.5 seconds. The amount of Nutella produced per year weighs as much as the Empire State Building (that’s 365,000 tons). There’s actually a day dedicated to the spread—International Nutella Day, which is February 5, in case you wanted to celebrate.
But perhaps the most interesting thing about Nutella is its humble beginnings. The spread itself, formulated by Pietro Ferrero after World War II rations created a shortage of cocoa. But, it wasn’t the first time this shortage happened.
This story goes a little deeper with a lesson of how challenges can lead to success. It was actually at the turn of the 19th century, when Napoleon wreaked havoc in Europe, and cut off the trade routes that supplied cocoa to Northern Italian chocolate makers that chocolatiers were confronted with a stark dilemma: falter in the face of a challenge and lose their product and profits, or take a risk by adapting and hope that customers would respond positively. Back then, the cocoa supply had dwindled, and chocolate producers searched for any local product they could use as a substitute. As the story goes, one particularly resourceful chocolatier decided to use a mixture of hazelnut powder and cocoa in his next batch of bars—soon everyone else followed suit, and a product named gianduia was born. It became so wildly popular that demand for it stayed high long after Napoleon had fallen.
Fast forward a century to another cocoa shortage in the 1940s. It’s not like people would be willing to live without chocolate due to rations. Pietro Ferrero knew this. And, he knew he might have a solution. In 1951 Pietro saw an opportunity to adapt his family’s long-standing gianduia recipe to create a spreadable cream that consumers worldwide enjoy on toast, croissants, and especially straight off the spoon—chocolate without the use of so much cocoa. Initially, he named it SuperCrema, but the product still needed some work. So, Pietro and his son went back into the kitchen and came up with an improved version of the spread, which in 1964 earned the name Nutella.
What is the key moral of the Nutella story? Adversity can lead to huge success, if you harness the ingenuity and creativity that challenges bring. In fact, we hear stories all the time about people and companies who seemingly turn constraints, challenges and hurdles into massive successes—successes that wouldn’t have existed without the adversity. Read on to discover some of the best tips we’ve picked up through the years that can turn your adversity into a big win for your team. Who knows, you may just create the next Nutella.
Keep your head.
Panic is the worst thing to do when a crisis hits. As a leader, you set the tone for your team’s reaction to challenges, so do your best to handle the situation with the utmost professionalism. Communicate calmly and clearly, and share details with the team as the situation evolves. Keep everyone in the loop throughout the process of change, and keep your door open for questions from team members. Keeping your cool will inspire trust and steadfastness, so your team is prepared to be productive and collaborative in the weeks ahead.
Get everyone involved.
There’s nothing like a team brainstorm to alleviate stress and drive innovation in the face of a challenge. Not only does ideation help get everyone on board with the future direction, but utilizing team members’ unique areas of expertise can also deliver more creative solutions. Plus, employees are less stressed about change when their leaders bring them into the decision-making fold. You have a lot to gain by holding a team brainstorm—but there’s one caveat. If, after a great ideation session, you fail to follow through and implement the insights your team delivers, you run the risk of team members feeling disillusioned and distrusted. Dodge that bullet by following through on the action points the team decides.
Have a game plan—and some backups.
After the initial shock hits, the best way to proceed is to assess the situation and then form a game plan. What’s your challenge? How will you tackle it? Who needs to be involved—and where will the resources come from? Answering these key questions should be your first step. Then, add in team ideas from your brainstorm session to build a course of action. But don’t stop there. Craft a Plan B, too. When things shift and the situation evolves (as it typically does), you will appreciate having a backup plan on hand. Leaders are often wary of veering off course when change hits, but a backup plan—or, ideally, two or three—will help you be more confident as you proceed, because you won’t be heading into the great unknown.
Remember the big picture.
At the end of the day, what does your team do, and why? How does your work help the company accomplish its mission? Where do you fit in the industry, and how do you make a difference for customers every day? Consulting the answers to these questions will help you feel motivated and grounded in times of stress. Big picture thinking will ease your transition and boost your problem solving during a crisis. So reset your mindset by referencing the big picture when the going gets rough—and don’t be afraid to use big picture thinking to motivate the team, too.
When the forefathers of Nutella were faced with a crisis, they kept their heads and focused on finding a solution to the cocoa shortage. They got everyone in the industry involved in brainstorming, built a focused plan to add hazelnut powder to their product and remembered the big picture: delivering delicious chocolate to the community. Thanks to their innovation and perseverance, the world now has a fantastic treat. So next time you face a team crisis, grab a spoon and these tips—and dig in. Your crisis might be the greatest opportunity of your career.
