Kathy had a vision for her company and her team. She just knew she could, with her team, make a huge difference in the world. How very exciting! She presented her plan to her company and they were on board. So why was Kathy waking up in the middle of the night worrying? Why did she find herself constantly wondering what others thought about her and her plan?
Kathy was experiencing one of the biggest fears of success…the fear of responsibility. Of coarse Kathy didn’t say she feared responsibility. She said things like…”I know I’m not perfect and what if I make a mistake?” “What if I let people down?” “What if my vision is wrong and I mislead people?” “What if I fail?”
Anytime you are in a position of leadership whether in your own company, a corporation or volunteering in the community the fear of responsibility can absolutely get in the way of your effectiveness. As a leader you need to trust that as you make your plan you have taken into consideration the needs of the people you are leading. With good leaders this often happens at the subconcious level. After the plan is made and the vision is set then a leader needs to focus, not on what people are thinking , but on what tasks need to be done to put the plan into place. When you focus too much on what others will think about what you are saying and doing, it can stop you in your tracks and make you ineffective as a leader.
I have heard over and over from interviews with people in the public eye that at some point they quit reading what others said about them. It was too confusing and painful to read. Instead they did what all leaders should do. They focused on their vision and the people who supported them.
So what should you do when you feel the fear of responsibility creeping in?
Step 1: Get quiet. Now is the time to put huge importance on spending a period of time each day to quiet yourself and breathe. ( I didn’t say sit quietly and worry!) Just relax and breathe.
Step 2: Get back to your vision. Take a minute to write down your vision and why you want to create it. What is in it for you? What is in it for others?
Step 3: Create a Tribe Find people who you trust to be a sounding board. People who have your best interest at heart.
Step 4: Move forward towards your vision with joy. Understand that you won’t and can’t make everyone happy and that’s okay!
Have an amazing Monday!
Leanna Fredrich, Mindset Coach, Adv. EFT, Adv. Psych-K
Leanna@amazingmondays.com