Insight Forge with Terry Mante: Creating opportunities for others

We often celebrate people who seize opportunities. We applaud the self-starter, the risk-taker, the individual who turns a small break into a big win. But in the background of every success story is someone else who opened a door. Someone who made a call, shared a resource, gave a chance, or simply said, “Try this. I believe in you.”

Creating opportunities for others is an underrated form of leadership. It is not loud or spectacular. It rarely comes with applause. Yet it is one of the most transformative contributions any individual can make to society.

The small acts that change trajectories

Opportunity creation does not always require money or influence. Sometimes it is as simple as inviting someone into a room they never imagined entering. A recommendation, a brainstorming session, a shared contact, a conversation that expands someone’s sense of what is possible. These gestures can redirect a person’s future.

Think about how many careers, businesses, and ideas have been born because someone took a chance on a beginner. Behind every seasoned professional is a mentor. Behind every entrepreneur is a supporter. Behind every breakthrough is a first believer.

Opportunity begins with access. When we widen our circles and share what we know, we multiply the chances available to others. The ripple effect of these small actions can exceed anything we might achieve alone.

Why some people do not create opportunities

If creating opportunities is so powerful, why do more people not do it?

For some, it is insecurity, the fear that supporting others diminishes their own shine. For others, it is scarcity thinking, the belief that opportunities are limited and that helping someone else means losing something themselves. And then there are those who simply never learned to look beyond their own goals.

But the people who rise highest are often those who refuse to hold opportunities hostage. They understand that success is not a pie to be divided but a field to be expanded. They know that enabling others strengthens networks, elevates communities, and builds ecosystems where everyone can thrive.

Opportunity makers are community builders

Every community that grows sustainably has people who are intentional about creating pathways for others. Teachers who encourage hidden potential. Employers who nurture young talent. Professionals who mentor the next generation. Leaders who lift instead of gatekeep.

Opportunity makers think generationally. They understand that their impact is measured not only by what they achieve but by who they empower.

When we help others rise, we strengthen the foundations of the society we all share.

How to become an opportunity creator

You do not need a title or position to create opportunities. You only need willingness.

Here are practical ways anyone can start:

1. Share knowledge freely. The insight that seems basic to you may be revolutionary to someone else.
2. Recommend people confidently. Sometimes your endorsement is the bridge someone needs.
3. Invite others
4.  to the table. Meetings, events, and conversations become richer when they include new voices.
5. Mentor without fuss. Guidance, clarity, and encouragement cost nothing but can change everything.
6. Spot potential early. Many people grow simply because someone saw promise in them.
7. Celebrate others loudly. Visibility is a powerful opportunity. Give it generously.

A story to leave you with

There is an old tale from a small village about a carpenter named Ofori. Every year, he built sturdy doors for the wealthy families in the town. But one evening, a young apprentice named Kweku approached him with a simple request. “Teach me how to make doors.”

Ofori had never taken an apprentice before. He worked alone, valued his quiet, and believed that his methods were too complicated for anyone else to master. But something about Kweku’s eagerness softened him. “Come tomorrow,” he said reluctantly.

Weeks became months. Kweku learned quickly. Before long, he could craft a door with almost the same skill as Ofori. One day, Ofori’s friend warned him, “You are creating your competition.” Ofori simply smiled and replied, “Or I am creating more doorways for others to pass through.”

Years later, the village grew into a bustling town. New homes, new shops, new families. And everywhere you looked, there were doors. Doors built by craftsmen Ofori had trained, or by craftsmen his apprentice had trained. The village prospered not because one man guarded his skill, but because he shared it.

Opportunity works the same way. When we open a door for someone, we are not reducing our own space. We are increasing the number of pathways available to everyone.

May we all strive to be like Ofori, people who build doors and then teach others to build their own.

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About the author

Terry Mante is a thought leader whose expression as an author, corporate trainer, management consultant, and speaker provides challenge and inspiration to add value to organizations and position individuals to function effectively. He is the Principal Consultant of Terry Mante Exchange (TMX). Connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads and TikTok @terrymante and www.terrymante.org.

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