According to leadership and organizational experts Jeffrey Pfeffer and Margaret Wheatley, fear is both pervasive and detrimental in the workplace.
Organizations… are cluttered with control mechanisms that paralyze employees and leaders alike. These mechanisms seem to derive from our fear — our fear of one another, of a harsh competitive world, and of the natural processes of growth and change that confront us daily. Years of such fear have resulted in these byzantine systems. We never effectively control people with these systems, but we certainly stop a lot of good work from getting done.
~ Margaret Wheatlely
One of the most pervasive emotions in the workplace today is fear…
One of the side effects of fear is that it absolutely retards the flow of information inside a company. …Because nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news, nobody inside those companies knows what is going on..Yet another side effect is that fear causes individuals to focus only on the short term and on their own survival.~Jeffrey Pfeffer
Why build on a foundation of fear when fear itself is detrimental to what we are here to do?
Fear.
Fear of losing control. Fear of not achieving goals. Fear of succeeding and then losing it all.
Fear.
Overcoming Fear
Quotes about overcoming fear abound.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” ~Ambrose Redmoon
~ Marianne Williamson
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
~ Bill Cosby
Quotes, like poetry, load a simple sentence with paragraphs of meaning, wisdom and feeling, but they don’t change the drivers of behavior.
So, let’s consider something different.
The Shaman’s Way
According to shamanistic beliefs, parts of the self (or parts of the soul) flee when physical or psychological trauma occurs. Trauma is simply a real or perceived threat that overcomes our abilities to cope. This process, in which parts of ourselves flee the scene, begins when we are young. These parts are fragile. When they leave guards come into place and hold the parts in protective custody to ensure no further harm befalls them. In later years, when our capabilities are more developed, we no longer need the guards, but they don’t know this and remain in place.
In western cultures we attempt to regain our fearlessness by way of demands or insults, as in “Just buck up,” or “Don’t be such a baby.” These methods fail to convince the guards, who are also insulted by the lack of respect for the very fine job they’ve done over the years. As a result, the guards stand stronger and protect with greater ferocity.
What to Do
Step 1.
Find the part of yourself hidden in the cave, the castle, underground or far into the desert. What happened? Why did she leave? How old was she? What is she wearing?
Step 2.
Notice the guards. Address them respectfully. Recognize and appreciate the protection they’ve offered. Thank them. Then let them know you need to have that part of yourself once again and that you are capable of ensuring she will not be hurt.
Step. 3
Ask the guards if they are willing to step aside. When they do welcome home the missing part. Bring her into your heart. Make room for her in your soul. Watch her as she returns.
Step 4.
Attend to her during the following week. Do something age appropriate together. Take her for a walk. Read her a book. Ask how she’s doing. Recovered parts of the self are at first fragile and can easily disappear again, so take care.
You are building a muscle called courage.
Keep up the workouts.
The more you do, the stronger the muscle becomes.
And then, when she is fully back, integrated once again, and your muscles are strong, fly with her into the face of what you used to fear and whatever you might fear in the future.
As a leader, know when your actions are based in fear.
Find the courage muscle.
And now, do something different.
Instead of closing down in fear, open up to possibility.