Fear, doubt and complacency are the components of the Failure Triangle. In personal life we can afford some time to work through these issues; in business we better grab these problems by the ears and kick them in the ass.
It's perfectly natural to have some genuine fears when you're in business. If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, executive or manager you've chosen a life that involves risk; with risk comes fear.
Fear is a natural human emotion. Fear is designed to protect you from unwarranted dangers; it's a survival mechanism. Fear also keeps you from making stupid mistakes or taking foolish risks.
The fact is too many people think that courage is the absence of fear. The absence of fear is stupidity, not courage. Courage is your ability to face fear and take action despite your fear when necessary and warranted. Of course the line between foolishness and bravery is different for everyone. The entrepreneur is by nature a risk-taker; your risk tolerance may in your mind be calculated when others are telling you that you're nuts!
Fear causes inertia. Inertia left unchecked can deteriorate rapidly into complacency. When I'm talking about inertia I'm talking about letting a particular fear stop you from taking action that's necessary to move you forward.
- You put off making a difficult sales call.
- You delay an important decision for fear of making a mistake.
- You reschedule a difficult performance review.
BizJitsu Technique #1: Grappling!
Sometimes you've just got to get into your fighting stance and engage the enemy. This is close quarters combat. You're got to be willing to go to the ground. Of course this is easier said than done.
In order to be an effective grappler you've got to train. The more you train the more control you'll have over your fear. The fact is that a lot of fears are caused by a lack of preparation. Be honest and ask yourself if you're really ready for combat. If not; is this fear the legitimate result of a lack of preparation and training on your part?
- Have you done all the research you can on a new prospect?
- Have you done your due diligence and weighed all the options before you make a big decision?
Sometimes you've got to gain an advantage over your opponent. You can't fight strength against strength.
What I mean is that if your opponent is stronger than you; you've got to gain advantage by finding a point of leverage that will increase your power.
You can find leverage by seeking the advice and support of others who have faced similar fears. Leverage your network, peer groups, trade association colleagues and the people on your direct team.
Too many business leaders try to manage fears solo. If you want to motivate your team in difficult situations; share the problem with them and solicit their support as part of the solution. Leverage the power and energy of your entire organization to help you gain advantage over the fear you're facing and move forward.
BizJitsu Technique #3: Be one with the enemy!
Underlying almost all fears is the fear of failure. I'm not going to lay any trite platitudes on you; the fact is that failure is a necessary and inevitable part of the business process. It's just part of life.
You can play semantic games and say that failures are really just lessons; failure still sucks. The fear of failure sucks even worse. The fear of failure can cause a self-perpetuating downward spiral that can become debilitating if left unchecked.
So what do you do?
Accept failure, embrace it! Be one with this enemy!
Failure is just part of the human experience. There's no greater legitimate human fear than that of losing your own life. Can you imagine what was in the minds of the Apollo 13 astronauts when they heard and felt the explosion as they continued to speed away from the earth faster than a bullet? Can you imagine what was felt in the chests of all the engineers, mission control personnel and vendors that worked on the Apollo team?
It would have been perfectly understandable if fear had paralyzed anyone on the Apollo 13 team. Instead they accepted whatever circumstances and conditions they were dealing with and re-focused on overcoming whatever problems they faced. They quickly integrated failure after failure into their collective experience in faster than real time. This experience opened them up to the possibilities and solutions that would bring the astronauts home.
In the middle of the entire mess Flight Director Gene Krantz delivered his now immortal directive, "Failure is not an option!" His friends and colleagues were in that spacecraft. I'm sure we can all appreciate the fear that Krantz and his team faced. Instead of allowing fear to stop them; they worked the problem and transformed every failure into the solution that would prevent ultimate "Failure" with a capital "F."
Fear is a natural and essential part of our human experience. Part of the problem is that so far as we know, we're the only creature on earth that can intellectual consider the outcomes of our actions, or inactions, in the greater scheme of the impact those actions will have on our future and the lives of others. Your thoughts and actions transcend instinctive behavior; we consider the possible consequences of our actions and it makes sense that this process can sometimes cause understandable fear and trepidation.
You can also transcend the paralyzing effects of fear. Of course, this requires discipline and training. If you want to become better at facing and overcoming fear, it starts with small, attainable, actionable steps. Condition yourself by accepting ever increasing challenges and facing greater fears just as you'd add weights to a bar bell to slowly build your biceps.
Most of all remember that you're not alone! Fear seems to be the most isolating emotion; yet it's difficult to imagine any fear that hasn't been faced by someone else, and likely someone you know.
As a leader you may eventually have to act alone; and you're likely to bear sole responsibility for the consequences of that action. Never be afraid to call on others to help you prepare to take that action.
Jim Bouchard will train you and your team in BizJitsu: The Art of the Business Warrior! Call 800-786-8502 and visit JimBouchard.org for more information on BizJitsu and all of Jim's speaking, coaching and training services.
Note: Anxiety can be a debilitating mental illness that should be distinguished from the ordinary, albeit serious issue of fear discussed in this article. If you feel you may be dealing with authentic anxiety issues you should consult a qualified medical psychological professional.
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