Every leader experiences fear. How you choose to respond makes all the difference.
Avoiding your fear will only amplify it further; to get over it, you need to face it head-on and understand where your anxieties originate.
Leaders struggling with insecurity often engage in poor leadership practices that lead to adverse results for themselves and their teams. Seeking professional assistance for managing insecurity can make an enormous difference for you and your team.
1. Focus on the Positive
Fear of failure can deter leaders from taking on leadership roles altogether, which is unfortunate given that those with passion, skill and talent tend to make the best candidates for these roles. Conversely, setting low goals as an avoidance strategy won’t help them grow or secure more challenging leadership opportunities.
Fear can also lead to inappropriate leadership behaviors that have an adverse impact on those they lead. Such actions include political game-playing, not accepting honest feedback and tolerating poor behavior – all which have detrimental results on team morale and overall business performance.
Fear responses include your heart beating faster, breathing quicker and any number of symptoms related to our “fight or flight” instinct, designed to protect us from potential danger. As a leader, it is your duty to learn to harness these responses for maximum effectiveness; not let them prevent you from becoming the extraordinary leader you possess the potential of becoming.
Keep in mind that those under your command have chosen to work with you, so they may become dissatisfied if you frequently avoid difficult conversations and shut them down instead of confronting them directly. They also may become less inclined to follow you if your fear manifests itself through everything that you do.
Start by practicing letting go of your fears and focusing on what you can control – something as simple as planning an outdoor barbecue even if the weather forecast calls for rain! Or look at all the positive aspects of your job, what you are learning, and how it makes an impactful difference in the community or world at large.
Remind yourself of past achievements to boost confidence. Doing this can serve as a good reminder that even in spite of challenges you face, success awaits those who take positive steps and remain committed.
2. Take a Breather
When overwhelmed by fear, it’s essential to take a deep breath and compose yourself. Fear can trigger physical reactions such as increased heart rate, dizziness, sweating tightened muscles and dry mouth; these responses are designed to protect us from danger; however they may result in dysfunctional behaviors in the workplace including political game-playing, avoidance of open dialogues about mistakes, poor treatment of junior staffers or an insecure leadership style resulting in serious damage to their careers.
One key strategy for overcoming fear and becoming an exceptional leader is learning how to listen to the signals your body sends you. Instead of responding immediately when feeling fearful, make it a point to pause and reflect for several minutes whenever feeling fearful; this will enable you to identify its source and address it accordingly.
Make time for self-care and wellness, which can sometimes slip through the cracks when leading a busy organization. A regular workout regime, quality restful sleep and taking pleasure in engaging in enjoyable activities will not only improve your mood but also give you the emotional strength necessary to deal with fear-inducing obstacles that might come your way.
No matter how many tips for overcoming fear as a leader you read, there will still be times when you feel intimidated or fearful as a leader. That doesn’t need to be dissuasive though – instead it should serve as a reminder to be true to yourself and let your natural leadership style shine through.
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3. Reframe Your Thinking
Your way of thinking dictates both how you act and lead. Fear can make it hard to make sound decisions, which is why reframing is such an invaluable practice; it allows your mind to be set free to find new solutions, strategies, resources for ministry success.
One common pitfall leaders make when they feel overwhelmed is forgetting they have options; this is known as victim-itis and it can be very self-defeating. Instead of dwelling on what is happening to them, effective leaders need to focus on which problems will help bring them closer to achieving their goals.
If you find yourself becoming victim-itis, take a deep breath and spend a few moments focusing on the senses. Touch a piece of clothing, feel its texture; notice colors in your room; smell coffee or tea as you sip; listen out for any noises in the area – anything to help shift focus from what’s bothering you and regain control over your thoughts.
Another technique to reframe your thinking is asking “Why not?”. Doing this will uncover any false assumptions or limiting beliefs that prevent progress and open up potential new avenues of innovation.
Visualization can also help reframe your thinking. This technique works by shifting control away from emotional reactions that thrive off fear and adrenaline toward rational thoughts that enable action to take place. Mastering this process takes some practice but can be one of the most powerful weapons against overcoming fears and becoming an exceptional leader.
If you are having difficulty with managing your fear, it is essential that you seek support. This could take the form of professional coaching or simply speaking to trusted colleagues. Finding someone with fresh perspectives who can help get at the root cause of your anxieties so you can overcome them is key to success.
4. Take Action
Fears surrounding leadership can be real and paralyzing; you might fear never reaching your goals, not being seen as an effective leader, or having failed at things before. But there are steps you can take to conquer these fears and become an exceptional leader.
Start by identifying what lies at the heart of your fear and why it exists. While this requires deep introspection, it’s an essential first step toward conquering leadership fears. Once you understand where they stem from, you can begin challenging them and reframing your thinking accordingly.
As part of your strategy to overcome leadership fears, setting attainable goals can also help. Achieve these modest targets will build your confidence and reinforce the belief that you can meet them, ultimately helping to reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.
Take steps to strengthen teamwork by cultivating trust and providing an environment in which people feel free to open up about their fears. Remember that leadership is fundamentally a people-focused profession – take time to get acquainted with your team members and understand their needs before taking leadership roles.
When confronting a challenge, don’t shy away from taking head on. Doing so will enable you to make informed decisions that benefit both the company and team members.
If your anxiety persists, consider seeking professional assistance from a coach. They may provide new insight and strategies that allow you to stay present instead of dwelling on past or future fears.