FEAR! Useful or Just Scary

Is Fear Useful, or Just. . . Scary?

By Daniel Robin

How do you now deal with fear at work? This article pinpoints the types of fear that cause needless suffering, and advocates workplaces that consistently maintain an "absence of threat."


For better or for worse, we all bring our personal history to our workplace relationships. Many of us learned "fear tactics" from our parents, who, with good intentions and limited options, used threats to get us to obey their authority. This just doesn't work. When such authority is imposed at work, it not only destroys morale, but left unaddressed, breeds office politics, CYA, turf wars, entrenched negativity. . . reinforcing a cycle of mistrust.

In many workplaces, this unfortunate pattern begins when employees are afraid to ask questions or shy away from asserting their truth. Pride and trust are undermined, and relationships turn sour. So what are we dealing with here? Are there different "types" of fear: some you can count on (like feelings of apprehension during a performance review) while others are indicative of a broken process ("I can't speak up; they'll fire me!")?


Is There Anything Good About Fear?

Surprisingly, many executives quietly (perhaps unconsciously) assume that fear is "good" -- or inadvertently cause fear in others in an attempt to motivate. Think about it. If you wanted something done and encountered resistance, certainly one way to "inspire" action is to highlight the consequence of not doing it, making that more distasteful than the resistance. And will that work?

Make no mistake: externally imposed fear is not an effective motivational tool. Though it may yield short-term gains, it usually backfires. This practice, part of the legacy of traditional hierarchies, prevents people from doing their best. A study of 580 companies by the American Quality Foundation found that imposed fear is simply destructive. . .it either inhibits or causes overreaction such as knee-jerk resistance. Speak up about it and interrupt the cycle.

Whose Motives are These?

Instead of extrinsic motivation, when you have a goal that involves other people, demonstrate leadership by tapping into the vast ocean of intrinsic motivaters. Guess what? People are already motivated, and wise leaders need only harness that already exists. If you get resistance, tap into and understand that, too. People are far more likely to go the extra mile when they see a genuine concern for employee well-being -- not the often heard "You'd better. . . or else. . . and that's final."

On the other hand, fear that comes from within you -- such as a concern that you might not meet a deadline you voluntarily agreed to -- produces discomfort or anxiety and if it doesn't cause overwhelm, will inspire action.

Manageable, self-imposed fear acts as the fuel for change or improvement. It propels us forward and helps us move through stuck points or avoid hazards. It is a natural part of learning. But if I'm concerned about being judged or penalized or fired. . . I'm not going to learn, and I might not even hang around, let alone perform well.

So if we can fully commit to building a workplace culture where externally-imposed fear is headed for extinction, we'll all win.

What Can Be Done To Handle Fear?

First: Acknowledge what you don't want. Second: Decide if there's anything you need to do to prevent that downside. Third: If so, formulate a plan to handle it; if not, find a way to live with (come to terms with) the downside -- even if it never comes to pass, at least you'd know you could handle it if necessary.

Let your response to fear teach you what it's like to be fully present. Help the leaders understand the impact of their behavior. By the way, do remember to breathe!

The Importance of Managing Time

If like me you find yourself wondering where the day went and missing out on quality time with your families, relaxing and taking time for yourself, then like me you are part of an ever increasing population of poor time managers.

The fact of the matter is many people today are operating under time constrants. We simply don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish all that we want to. This creates an enormous amount of stress for us and our loved ones. We may feel as if we are constantly operating under deadline. We may feel fatigued and frustrated, and we may wonder if we are missing out on much of life because we spend so much time “doing” and not enough time “relaxing" We’re stressed at work, stressed at home, and stressed in life. The irony is, the more we do, the more behind we seem to get. We are constantly on the run, yet we may feel as if we are accomplishing very little. As a result, our frustration grows. We may become short-tempered, especially with those we love. We may feel as if we are constantly running tired, angry, confused, panicky and anxious.

The good news is there is hope, even in the midst of what might seem a hopeless situation. We can get control of our lives and control of our time. It may take a little bit of effort and time, but it will be well worth it in the long run, trust me well worth it, both for yourself and your family.

Many people feel as if they lack time to do the important things in life simply because they do not take the time to prioritize. Write down a list of your goals for the week. Then go through the goals and rank them in order of importance. After that task is completed, figure out just how much time you would need to accomplish each goal. You may find that just five minutes here or there can make all the difference in the world in achieving the items on your priority list.

Next, learn to multi-task effectively. That time you spend waiting for a lift could be used walking the stairs hence killing two birds with one stone, there is options to save time and manage it better if you think about it. Consider these moments as opportunities to accomplish some small, yet important, tasks. In order to be effective as a worker, spouse, and parent, you’ll need some alone time. Get an appointment book and actually schedule a block of time just for yourself. Your alone time could be spent on a hobby, working out, praying, re-evaluating your priorities and relaxing. Just be sure that you have some alone time each day. Otherwise, you’ll be shortchanging yourself, and you’ll feel more stressed as a result. Don’t be afraid to say no. You cannot be a cub scout leader, girl scout leader, fundraising, counsellor and friend all at once. You’ll need to pick and choose your assignments, both your professional assignments and your personal ones. If you simplify your life, you might be surprised at how much time you’ll gain—and how much better you will feel. Sometimes, it takes some backbone to say no. You might disappoint someone. But, in the end, you’ll be much better off, knowing that you have not over committed yourself. You should consider your time to be precious and sacred.

There are a number of duties which make demands on your time, those you love and those you don’t care for. By employing some innovative scheduling techniques, you can set aside the time for those things that are truly important to you. You’ll be less stressed, more relaxed, and better able to cope with the challenges you encounter on a daily basis. As you become less stressed out, you might find that your children, spouse, and friends follow your lead. And your world will become more harmonious as a result.

You have a choice, it's yours to take and yours to make.

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