Friday, May 6, 2011
Fearless Leadership
This article speaks of fearless leadership. The article states that a Fearless Leader will: 1. Understand the nature of fear. 2. Will have the courage to recognize the fear in themselves and, act appropriately. 3. Will know how to handle their own fear as well as the fear of others. 4. Know how to communicate. 5. Will learn what is important to others; their values. 6. Will make people first.
As noted in the article, “Fear is the great ‘trickster’.” Fear can easily manipulate our perceptions, halt our creativity and emotionally separate a person from each other, which dooms partnerships of all kinds. As leaders, we must be able to recognize, accept, and experience fear in order to change so that we will be able to meet the new challenges in which we face. Many people remain blind to the fact that FEAR is the reason why people resist change. The article speaks of how everyone is frightened of making a mistake and it is this fear that” makes people tense, worried about upsetting the status quo, incurring the wrath of senior management, and pressured into playing it safe, which is the very antitheses of the purpose of the meeting.” As leaders, we must first learn to break through fear-based thinking and recognize that the role of leadership is about continuous learning, relationships and constant self-renewal. As Christian leaders, we must be on guard against the enemy who uses fear as a weapon which can cause a great deal of doubt and will hinder our ability to lead.
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ReplyDeleteI was especially drawn to two things you mentioned. First, you said that “fear can easily manipulate our perceptions…” I fully agree, as I know from experience that fear clouds/distorts our perception of reality, causing us to act upon or react to a situation that may not ultimately exist. I have heard stories of people being so crippled by fear that they will not leave their house. While we might discount this or call it irrational on speck, we must not deny the real reasons people live in perpetual fear. Second, you said that “fear is the reason why people resist change.” I am not sure that fear is the only reason people resist change, but it is definitely one of them. Change can be challenging for anyone, but especially those experiencing fear. What I find interesting, and particularly problematic, is that people are not always aware of the fear present within them, or what it is about. Thus, they can be behaving in a certain way, or resisting change, etc., without understanding why. As friends and leaders, we need to help them become aware of their fears, identify their root cause(s), and overcome them so they can move forward and more fully experience the (real) life all around them.
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