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How to address fear in the
workplace
Learning outcomes
By the end of this webinar you will be able to;
• Explore what causes fear in the workplace
• Consider the impact of fear in the workplace
• Think about ways to address fear in the workplace
Causes of fear in the workplace
What causes fear in the workplace?
Causes of fear in the workplace
• Job security • Uncertainty / ambiguity • Change • Restructures • New systems/procedures • New management • Change of co-workers, leavers and new recruits • Workloads – too much / too little? • Pace of work – too slow / too fast? • Poor relationships – manager / coworkers • Lack of confidence / self esteem • Pressure to perform, targets, standards and consequences of
not achieving • Fear of failure not achieving • Fear of looking foolish or making mistakes • And lots more...
Impact of fear in the workplace
What impact can fear create in the workplace?
Impact of fear in the workplace
For an organisation fear in the workplace can have a • Negative effect on performance • Toxic effect on the culture of an organisation • Negative mindsets • Damage to company reputation and employer brand • Stifles creativity • Decreases trust • Limits innovation and collaboration
For individual employees fear can • Damage confidence, self belief and self esteem • Negative impact on performance • Increase the likelihood of mistakes • Poor relationships and teamworking • Increased worry, anxiety and stress leading to illness/absence
I can’t do
it
I’m not
good
enough
It’s too
scary
No one
will like
me
Run away
and hide
I don’t like
this
feeling
What will
people
think?
It will all
go wrong
Everything
will have
changed Technology
will have
moved on
I won’t
remember
how to do
things Lots of
new
people
Overcome your career fears
Lea Mcleod in an article in The Muse provides her insight from experience helping people conquer career fears
• Step 1 – Analyse the fear
• Step 2 – Make a plan (exposure therapy techniques)
• Step 3 – Execute
Naming your fear
I am afraid of:
This fear is caused by:
As a result of not dealing with this fear, I am:
If I take constructive steps to address this fear:
Overcome your career fears
Lea Mcleod in an article in The Muse provides her insight from experience helping people conquer career fears
• Step 1 – Analyse the fear
• Step 2 – Make a plan (exposure therapy techniques)
• Step 3 – Execute
Overcome your career fears
Lea Mcleod in an article in The Muse provides her insight from experience helping people conquer career fears
• Step 1 – Analyse the fear
• Step 2 – Make a plan (exposure therapy techniques)
• Step 3 – Execute
“learn how to acknowledge, confront, and take ownership of your fear so that
nothing can hold you back in life.”
Overcome your fears
Reflect on a fear you are experiencing and
think about the 3 steps.
- Name your fear
- Think about how you can use exposure
therapy techniques to help you address your
fear
-Write down your plan about what you WILL do.
Negative self talk?
• Overgeneralising – everyone is better than me
• Catastrophising – only imaging a host of negative
possibilities
• Personalisation – it’s all my own fault
• All or nothing thinking – it’s a waste of time even trying
• Jumping to conclusions – based on little information
Managing negative self talk
3 Magic Questions Challenge the self talk using
3 Magic Questions
1. Is there another way of looking at this?
2. Do I have all the information/facts?
3. How am I going to benefit from thinking/feeling like
this?
Managing negative self talk
Challenge your self talk
• Sound check
• Talk to others
• Best Case / Worst Case Scenario
• Accepting yourself for who you are
• Unsent letter
Manage YOUR negative self talk
Reflect on a fear and any negative self talk you
may have around this fear. Reflect on the
strategies we have covered and think about
which ones might work best for you to deal with
your negative self talk.
- 3 magic questions?
- sound check?
- best/worse case scenario, ?
- Talk to others?
- unsent letter?
Write down the one you are going to try out
Building self confidence • Overcoming fear makes us
stronger
• Prepare and practice
• Adopt a growth mindset
• Stay true to yourself and set your
own success criteria
• Use your body language to aid
your confidence
• Acknowledge your progress
• Ask for feedback and advice
Avoid confidence drainers
• Negative people
• Faking it
• Rose tinted glasses
• Everything happens for a reason mindset
• Taking no action
“Don’t let your fear of what could happen
make nothing happen”
Prescribe yourself choices 1. Change the situation – problem solve and be
proactive to make any changes in your control and
influence in the situation
2. Change yourself – changing your own mindset and
perception of the situation
3. Accept the situation – come to terms with and accept
the situation and find a way of moving on from it
4. Leave the situation – exit the situation to move away
from the problem
Weigh up the Pro’s & Con’s The pro’s
• What do I believe will happen if I take this action?
• What are the positives of taking this action?
• What are the risks of taking this action
The con’s
• What do I believe will happen if I don’t take this action?
• What are the consequences of not taking any action?
“Don’t let another persons thoughts
and actions define you. In the
morning, wrap yourself in
imaginary Teflon and remind
yourself that whatever you come
across nothing is going to stick to
you.”
Annie Ashdown,
Psychologies 2016
Individual action planning
-What have you learnt about fear?
-What have you reflected on about your
individual fears?
-What strategies do you think will be useful to
help you manage your fears in the workplace
the future?
-When will you next try this?
Ways to address fear
For a leader
• Listen lots and observe your teams
• Catch employees doing things right
• Communicate well and involve employees during change
• Talk regularly and highlight any issues with performance/behaviour giving constructive feedback
• Ensure clear expectations and clarity to ensure shared understanding
• Be open to feedback as a manager yourself
And finally...
