Fear is Nothing to be Afraid Of …
By Daniel Robin
Susan shifts uncomfortably in her chair and begins speaking in a measured tone:
“I’m probably going to regret saying this, ampoule but … [gulp] … David, search I do not feel your support, I only get your critical edge, and I’m tired of living in fear that everything we do can and will be used against us. There, I’ve said it … go ahead and fire me if you have to!”
“Susan, I have no intention of firing you,” reassures David, as Susan’s breathing slowly resumes, “and I do wish you would have come to me earlier so we could have cleared this up. What stopped you from speaking up until now?”
Whether there is an unspoken, unidentifiable shroud of fear enveloping the entire organization, a few blatantly “scary people” in positions of power, or simply the personal angst of dealing with constant change, some degree of fear is natural and inevitable. And yet, persistent, pervasive or undiscussable fear must be surfaced and addressed.
Even if you’re not the sort of person who gets anxious or afraid, you can be certain that someone you work with (or live with) could make your life difficult because they are.
There’s so much more to having a safe work environment than standing up to bullies or being outspoken in meetings. Read Dilbert if you don’t believe me. Therefore, this column will get real issues and answers to workplace fear out on the table, developing a series of “safety nets,” available to mitigate risks, ease tension and anxiety, to help you work more effectively with others when they are “on the edge.” The purpose: to make fear your greatest ally and teacher.
What is Fear Anyway?
Let’s define “fear” to include mild concerns to moderate worry or anxiety all the way up to feeling full-scale terror. All emotions are, in essence, impulses to act. However, fear is designed to protect us from harm, to automatically move us away from the perceived danger – to run or hide in a cave until it’s safe.
Sometimes fear’s opposite, the aggressive “fight” impulse of anger and resentment, will propels us toward something … intending to eliminate the object or cause of the disturbance.
Thankfully, we’ve all learned some degree of emotional self-restraint (some people more than others, apparently), otherwise we’d be in an edgy adrenaline rush most of the day, trying to either kill or avoid being killed.
Hmmm. Sound familiar? You may not recognize this state as fear. The human body doesn’t know the difference physiologically between fear and excitement – they’re both elevated states – but excitement is definitely more fun.
Where Does Fear Come From?
Workplace fear probably comes from the assumption that someone or something is “going to get you,” that there is danger afoot – whether real or imagined.
Given that we’d prefer to have a vote in deciding our future, the workplace can bring up a litany of concerns – many of which are outside of our direct control. When small concerns remain unexpressed they snowball and multiply. Fear has no natural enemy (except itself); and so if its energy can be moved, somehow, it has the potential to produce needed change.
Concerns about consequences, loss, or unfair criticism all have a common face, and once recognized, can be turned to your advantage. Next article looks into what, if anything, is good about fear, and describe it’s causes in terms of three recognizable masks – judgement, ambiguity, and undiscussability. In the meantime, go out and do a bungee jump, skydive, or firewalk – and then tell us all about it.
