Are You Unconsciously Leading from Fear?
Here are some workplace examples that are rooted in unconscious fear-based thinking:
- Avoiding tough conversations
- Not speaking up when something doesn’t make sense
- Not being transparent
- Selectively sharing or withholding information
- Looking to blame others
- Avoiding conflict
- Moving forward with work that is out of alignment with goals or vision
- Being concerned about how people will perceive you
- Wanting to be seen as a good person
- Worrying about losing credibility
- Any form of self-protection including CYA
- Doing anything that goes against your core values
- Worrying about losing funding or resources
- Worrying about meeting a date
- Not listening to differing opinions
- Worrying about being punished or retaliated against
As leaders we can take inventory of where unconscious fear is impacting our leadership and use this awareness to shift to more conscious, authentic leadership.
Examples
- Seeing the big picture
- Making decisions based on what’s in alignment with mission, vision, and goals
- Focusing on what’s best of for the organization
- Willingness to question anything that doesn’t make sense
- Speaking up, even when it’s uncomfortable
- Being curious
- Using candor
- Willingness to challenge the status quo
- Showing empathy and kindness
- Accepting failure as a part of growth and learning from it
- Taking an experimental approach
- Willingness to compromise or make sacrifice in service of the greater good
- Refusing to compromise on your core values
- Being transparent, especially when something is not going well
- Taking responsibility for how you contribute to a situation
- Looking for and assuming the best in others
- Addressing conflict immediately instead of letting it fester
As leaders, we need to be aware of how our own fear-based thinking impacts not only ourselves, but also our teams. We must foster an environment that allows people to feel the psychological safety to work from their creativity and their higher-self, not from fear.
[Julie Allen is an executive leadership coach who helps executive women leverage authenticity as a superpower to transform the way they show up, make decisions, and deliver meaningful results in the workplace.]