Publications & Resources

May/June 2009
Focus: People - Your Most Important Asset

 

The Frightened Leader

By Martie Woods

The damage to an organization can be great when its leaders are paralyzed by fear. 

Over the last six months, we have witnessed many events that we thought would never happen. Seemingly indestructible systems have buckled. Brilliant gurus have been undone by their own poor decisions. “Rock bottom” has achieved a whole new meaning in financial markets.

Such events have a way of bringing us together. But they can also separate us with feelings of uncertainty and fear. This fear-based behavior seems to have overtaken much of today’s professional working population. Many people are so paralyzed by worry that they’ve basically suspended their day-to-day work.

This begs an interesting question: Might our own behavior be threatening our institutions more than the external forces we read about in the headlines?

Perils of the frightened leader
The fear-based behavioral response is perhaps most damaging when it overtakes individuals in leadership roles within organizations, because of the ripple effect it tends to have on reporting employees.

If left unmanaged, what starts as a concern can lead to tentative decision-making, including a reluctance to delegate and provide the support that direct reports need to do their jobs. When it starts at the top, this chain reaction of paralysis will rapidly trickle down to all levels of an organization.

While revenue lines, net margins and creative thinking should be demanding the leader’s attention, he or she recoils into a mode of self-preservation. The leader holds onto more work but becomes increasingly uncomfortable with accountability, resulting in excessive procrastination. He or she might also back down from launching the next high-profile project – perhaps the one that could have been a lifeline for the organization.

This leader eventually becomes so consumed by fear that his or her actions become one of the primary forces threatening the demise of the organization.

Ways to avoid fear-based leadership
So how can people in leadership positions prevent themselves from being overtaken by fear? They can begin by watching for any of these changes in their own behavior:

  • An unexpected increase in procrastination.

  • Elevated abrasiveness and negativity.

  • An overwhelming fear of making mistakes.

  • Over-dramatizing minor setbacks.

  • A sudden reduction in delegation.

If you hold a leadership position and see yourself exhibiting any of these behaviors, here are four ways to reverse them:

See opportunity in turmoil. We are least likely to change our ways when times are good. But now is the time to encourage bold and fresh thinking. It will differentiate you more than ever.

Research and discuss the situation. Be educated on all the possible scenarios for your business, both good and bad. Talk openly, honestly and directly about it.

Be a model of strength. Impart confidence that you are a reliable resource of encouragement and authenticity, and that you are committed to your leadership role despite the tenuous circumstances. 

Be available. Watch for the warning signs of fear-based behavior in everyone you manage. Acknowledge the worries of your staff without feeling the need to solve. Your direct reports know you don’t know what the future holds. They will trust you more if you admit this.

Organizations need their leaders to lead right now more than ever. By recognizing and overcoming the adverse effects of the frightened leader, we can all put our best foot forward in helping – not hurting – the organizations that employ us.

Martie Woods is chief experience officer for Deluxe Corporation. She can be reached at martie.woods@deluxe.com.

Unauthorized reproduction of all or part of this material without the express written consent of the author is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.