Corners are quirky.

Rectangular or rounded. Narrow or sweeping. Sharp or gradual.

I hear a wide variety of reactions from sighted people when my guide dog and I barrel around corners at a four mile-per-hour clip. Surprised gasps. Nervous laughter. Shrieks. Breathless apologies, followed by “I didn’t see you.”

And the occasional “Oh shit!”

These reactions take place because light-dependent people often find it hard to see around corners.

Life presents us with unexpected corners of all shapes and sizes. Many of these corners offer opportunities camouflaged as conflict, surprise, or chaos.

Sometimes, we as a group agree to put up guard rails to protect ourselves from the inability of certain people to work around certain corners.

Why, for example, can’t visually-impaired people fly airplanes? After all, computers fly most planes most of the time, and these computers might be able to be modified so that we could hear the information displayed on their screens.

But would anyone want to be a passenger on a plane that a light-independent person was flying if these computers suddenly malfunctioned?

No one wants to be anywhere near a plane wreck.

Not even around a corner.

We respect experts in part because they can sense what might lurk around a corner more quickly than the rest of us. Sometimes, conductors of musical groups must use their skills to prevent an unexpected surprise to morph into what musicians call a “train wreck.” Coaches of sports teams are paid big bucks to make quick decisions to address those unexpected twists and turns that might be the difference between winning and losing. Managers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures support those they lead around corners. And really good leaders teach those that follow them to be better corner navigators.

Each of us, through a unique mix of experiences, education, and genetics, are better at working around some corners than others. Teams with members who can sense around more corners are more likely to win games, sell products, create services, or achieve other goals. Thus, the power of diversity, which can only be unleashed when the right amount of trust, camaraderie, and the ability to manage conflicts is in place.

Corners bend or conceal all kinds of information. With support from each other and capable leadership, we can gain the confidence borne from experience handling corners to add words such as “Awesome!” and “What a wonderful opportunity” to our surprised gasps, apologies, and exclamations of “oh shit!”