Most forms of fear are illusions we create in our own minds. Fear is almost always about what is going to happen next – meaning you are afraid of something that does not currently exist.
Trust and fear are related and share the same DNA. If there is fear present in your team or culture, there will inevitably be less trust. If you want to create more trust which is the key ingredient to improved team performance, then reducing fear is an important activity to learn.
The diagram and explanation attached below, highlights how fear can be either inside or outside of your organisation.
If the fear is generated inside, it is a variable and within your control to change. Creating an environment of trust where people feel safe and not vulnerable or judged in front of their team mates is very important and with it respect and understanding are generated.
Resilience is built through the adversity you and your organisation have overcome, and you start to breakthrough and pull together improving the camaraderie within the team.
The threats from outside of the organisation however, are a constant. If you allow these outside uncontrollables to infiltrate your inner sanctum, employee’s start to come up with excuses, from assumptions and expectations which leads to denial and stress.
This in itself creates adversity that see’s the team breakdown rather than breakthrough and pull apart rather than pull together.
The key is controlling the controllables and concentrating on your own inner sanctum, rather than the outside forces constantly trying to pull you apart.
My takeaway for this week:
Teamwork and the culture of your organisation is determined by what happens inside and not what happens outside.
Being vulnerable means you’re willing to admit you made a mistake and the people around you, not only support you, but they encourage you to try harder, go for longer and be the best version of yourself. Please take a few minutes and look over the diagram below on how fear can control your workplace.
I want to leave you with two quick questions to ponder this week:
1. As an employee or leader within your organisation, what can you do to start improving trust?
2. What is it going to take to eliminate the complaining, criticising, gossiping and excuse’s within your work environment?
If you are reading the above two questions and are wondering ‘HOW’ to do it, shoot me an email and I will coordinate a time to give you a call and offer some solutions. ritchie@ritchiegibson.com
Ritch