How to deal with fear in the workplace
Fear is inevitable. Everyone has particular exchanges in life that are individually frightening for different reasons. As leaders in the workplace, it’s important to identify our own fears and discomforts, and utilize them as a catalyst for growth.
In a recent article by Skip Prichard, he asks readers the hard-hitting questions: Is fear always bad? How can we safely approach and examine our fears? Can fears be useful in the workplace? How should leaders deal with fear?
In his article, Pritchard gives some pointers on how to combat fear in the workplace, including:
- the importance of providing relevant information that some in your organization may not have access to;
- utilizing a business tool like a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to organize fears within a broader, actionable context;
- being transparent about mistakes and their consequences, through real, detailed examples of how past mistakes led to important victories; and
- using measurements to have baseline knowledge for future goals and tasks.
His final words of wisdom: ask questions. When your employees come to you with information, ask for them to clarify. That way, you will be able to provide ample information to address any discomfort with the task at hand. With clarity and reassurance, we can strategize and produce the best possible outcomes that set both your employees and organization up for success.