Five BIG Fears You Will Face as a Leader and How to Master Them
Sonia McDonald
CEO & Founder @ LeadershipHQ - Future, Emerging & Women Leadership Experts | Global Keynote Speaker | Award-Winning Author | Extraordinary Leaders & Executive Coach | Leadership Advisor
Whether you like it or not, fear is a perfectly normal human emotion. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will feel or experience fear at some point in their lives. No matter how old they are. Fear can take many forms and we all have different types of fears. University students might dread failing that big upcoming exam, some job seekers might be absolutely terrified of interviews with potential employers while leaders might be afraid of that looming natural disaster and question if their business will be able to open its doors again.
You can try and run from fear and the conflict of emotions it brings, but you can’t and that’s a fact. Fear is something you must always face head on and learn how to overcome it. Mastering your fear takes practice, but in order to be an effective leader you must find ways to cope. You can’t be a successful leader if you spend your days cowering under your desk.
According to a 2020 Stanford University School of Medicine study, the brain’s fear centre sends signals to the decision-making part of the brain that makes it harder to regulate negative emotions in chronically stressed or anxious children. The study shows that the communication between our emotional centres and our thinking centres becomes less fluid when there is significant stress. Read the full article here.
If leaders let their fear rule them or they rule with fear, they will never get anywhere as a leader or in life. Leaders who are deeply impacted by fear will struggle to perform to their true potential at work. They are not confident in their abilities, and they may become depressed, anxious and stressed as a result. The fear troubling the leader can also have serious consequences for team members, who will struggle with low productivity levels in a stressful environment.
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This is why it’s important for leaders to recognise and understand their fears, as well as being able to talk about them openly. Don’t be afraid to open up and seek guidance when it comes to talking about your fear. There are plenty of people out there in the same boat. I have complied a list below of some of the most common fears our leaders face today.
1.????The fear of failure
Literally the fear as old as time. The fear of failure just might be the most common fear in the world today. It doesn’t just affect successful leaders, it can impact anyone, from children, teenagers to adults. It can be horrible to feel like you’re a failure, that you will let your team down or that your business venture will fail. One way to cope with this is to document your feelings, emotions and fears in a diary. Make sure you indulge in self-care and give yourself positive affirmations every day.
2.????The fear of criticism
No one likes being told that they are doing something wrong, getting negative feedback and criticism or finding out that your colleague/or employee doesn’t think you are doing a good job. The best way to cope with this is to stop worrying about what people are thinking about you, hard I know. Instead, tell yourself that you will be positive about any feedback you receive. Learn from it and start again.
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3.????The fear of making a mistake
None of us are perfect, we all make mistakes. Yes, even the big successful leaders have made mistakes and I can guarantee they are still making mistakes today. However, being scared that you are going to make a mistake will lead to even more mistakes. Be confident and trust in yourself, if you make a mistake, you can learn from it. To avoid mistakes, write down your daily goals in a diary so you can keep track of everything on your to-do list for the day.
4.????The fear of making hard decisions
Making hard decisions is never easy, that’s why it’s called a ‘hard decision’. Some leaders are always worried that they will make a wrong decision that will impact them, their team and their business. It’s essential to learn how to cope with this fear as the fear of making the tough decisions will lead to poor decision-making and leaders with their heads constantly in the sand.
5.????The fear of being abandoned
The fear of abandonment, of being left behind, rejected or hurt is real. It affects many children and adults across the globe. It can be hard to shake this feeling, especially if you have been left behind before or been through loss or trauma. The best way to cope is to understand where your fear is rooted and learn to recognise when these feelings manifest. It’s always good to seek out professional help and advice for this type of fear.
By?Sonia McDonald ?– CEO Of?LeadershipHQ ?And?McDonald Inc. ?Leadership Coach, Global Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, CEO And Award Winning Author.
Sonia McDonald is changing the face of leadership across the globe. She believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, and is known for her mantra ‘Just Lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her transformational coaching, leadership training programs and cultural transformation for organisations and encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped thousands of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others.
Sonia is a founder and CEO of?McDonald Inc .,?LeadershipHQ ?and?Global Outstanding Leadership Awards ?and?2022 Courage Conference . For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of leadership and she is beyond committed to her mission around building a world of great leaders.
She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realise what it takes to be a truly great leader. She has been recognised by Richtopia as One of the Top 250 Influential Women across the Globe and Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs.
Sonia has an ability to speak bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, personal and career challenges in a way which resonates with her audience. She is a leading coach, an award-winning published author of newly released?First Comes Courage, Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It! ?and has become an in-demand motivational keynote speaker and facilitator on leadership, kindness and courage.
Sonia has become recognised for her commentary around the topic of leadership, kindness, empathy and courage as well as building outstanding leadership across the Globe.?
National CDI Manager Healthscope
2 年Thanks Sonia. Another I often consider is the fear of being vulnerable....open and possibly exposed. This I think comes from a concern that I might be not only professionally exposed but also personally hurt. However with vulnerability come authenticity, where my staff see I am human, and am not unaffected and am like them. Being vulnerable shows you have skin in the game and a vested interest in the decisions you make, and the culture you create.
Founder and Managing Director of Kitney - A leading Occupational Health Expert with Quality, Risk and Governance expertise
2 年Great article Sonia McDonald (Dickson), and looking forward to the conference on Friday!
Bachelor of Commerce - BCom from Nizam College at Hyderabad Public School
2 年“However, being scared that you are going to make a mistake will lead to even more mistakes”. Great share. ??????
Spot on
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2 年Thank you Sonia McDonald (Dickson) ???? In an effort not to upset others, lose status in the eyes of their followers, avoid risks leaders often concoct sophisticated justifications for putting off or delaying decisions, and the delay often does far more damage than whatever fallout they were trying to avoid