Managing fear in your business

Is your organisation paralysed by fear? Neil Twogood, chief operating officer at Performance Consultants, explains how owner-managers can use authentic leadership to beat procrastination and stop the spread of fear.

Fear is rife in the current economic climate. At a time when organisations need their employees to be productive, many are reacting like a rabbit in headlights.

Owner-managers are trying to deal with this, whilst managing their own fears. Some worry about their own financial viability - and that of their organisation. Others fear failure or whether they'll make a mistake or the wrong decision.

Fear can be driven by external forces ("something has happened and I'm fearful of what will happen next") or internal forces, such as limiting beliefs or a sense of inadequacy. Am I capable of doing what needs to be done? What happens if I can't do what's asked of me? Will I be ridiculed? Fears of this nature relate to very basic human concerns, such as the desire to be respected and valued by other people. This is a powerful driver that can influence our behaviour.