Conquering your Professional Fears

Feel the Fear, and Do It Anyway! Something that regularly comes up in the executive coaching sessions I hold is the F word. NO – not that one! F E A R. An exhilarating and somewhat sneaky emotion that can have the power to propel and motivate us, but also to leave us questioning everything while reaching for the Gaviscon. Everyone feels fear in business, and if they say they don’t then I’d be seriously questioning their credentials. So how can we use the power of fear to drive us to be our best selves?

First, we need to understand the power of fear. Everyone has memories of crippling fear before big professional life events, such as interviews, commencing new roles and presentations. The stomach-twisting feeling of panic, as well as your heart trying to beat its way out of your chest. Individuals feel this to varying degrees, but what if I told you this could actually be your greatest ally? Yes! Really! When harnessed in the right way, fear can supercharge performance, fuel your determination and be a catalyst to your continued success.

If you think about it, some of modern history’s most iconic figures have openly admitted to feeling fear when faced with daunting challenges. From Steve Jobs to Oprah Winfrey to Kylie Minogue, nobody is immune to it. Yet, instead of letting the fear hold them back, they have embraced it, and have turned its energy into drive and self-confidence. If they can do it, they are people at the end of the day, so can you.

Learning to use fear to your advantage, a good start is to identify and list your professional fears. It may be challenging to hold a mirror up to yourself, but this is essential in taking back control. What are you afraid of in your professional life? Is it public speaking, meeting the CEO, presenting? Is it taking on a new leadership role? Making a career pivot? Whatever it may be, its time to face those fears head-on, to turn them into your greatest strengths.

Imagine this: you’re about to give a high-stakes presentation to your company’s board of directors. Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty, and your mind is buzzing with self-doubt. Instead of succumbing to your fears of failure, you take some deep breaths to gather yourself, and remind yourself of your expertise, experience and ability to completely deliver during this event, as you have in the past. Recognise the circumstances may be different this time around, however your past events will have been delivered on, to bring you to this very moment, feel proud of yourself for being here, it is an opportunity.

Harnessing the power of your fear is key, saying 'no' to your nerves inside your mind is important. Yes, acknowledge and accept they exist, whilst focusing to visualise success, through inner calm words, tone, keeping positive thinking fact based helps to reframe your mindset that 'you can do this.' You may see your fear as a sign of weakness, but you can retrain your brain by seeing fear as a signal that you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. This can only lead to growth and success, as no one wants a 'coaster.' Some excellent advice I received in my big4 days said 'Claire if its feeling uncomfortable, take it as a sign you are exactly where you are supposed to be and continue to crack on.'

Next, break down your fears into manageable steps, focus to move to taking positive actions. Want to conquer your fear of public speaking? Perhaps sign up for a course or workshop to help make it seem less scary and practice in a safe space. Dreaming of taking on a new leadership role? Apply for roles when matching 40% upwards of the criteria, seek out mentorship opportunities to proactively receive feedback and hone your skills. Creating smaller steps and tackling them one by one slowly turns into significant progress. Remember the phrase (one of my fav's): Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is overcoming fear. This is a journey, not a destination, so be patient, persistent and resilient, celebrate every small victory along the way.

Celebrate your wins, no matter how small they may seem. As you embark on your journey to tackle your fear, regularly take time to reflect so you can feel good about how far you’ve come. Whether it’s getting through that presentation, leading a successful team project, winning the pitch or landing your dream job, take a moment to bask in the glow of your accomplishments and reflect on the courage it took to get you there.

The more you confront your fear and push yourself out of your comfort zone, the more self assured and confident you will become! Before you know it, you’ll look back on your fear journey with a sense of pride and gratitude, for how you trusted yourself, have embraced daunting challenges and overcome them, recognising the unstoppable force you have become!

In conclusion, breaking down your fear will let you take small actionable steps to help get the fear monkey off your back. Embracing the fear and using it to your advantage will allow you to unleash your full potential in your professional life. The next time you feel that familiar knot in your stomach, turn it into the ‘push’ opportunity you need to leave your comfort zone and dive head-first into whatever is being asked of or emerging for you. Your future self will thank you for it! And if you ever find yourself in need of a guiding hand on your journey to overcome your fear, I’ve been there, continue to do it, and have many souvenirs!

Do connect to get an ‘Executive Coaching’ session booked with me, getting started is often the hardest step with anything in the pursuit of overcoming ‘fear.’ You have got this!

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Executive Director Dr. Claire Handby FCIOB MAPM, is a Business Transformation and Growth Leader, alongside being an Executive Coach. ?Claire is also Employment, Skills, Inclusion Policy Advisor for the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Website www.drclairehandby.com DM for a conversation to explore any support you’d value for your business or your personal development.

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