We are all afraid at one point or another in our lives and careers.
Fear holds us back as individuals and it holds us back as companies.
Your job as a manager, supervisor and coach is to help your staff members work through their fears.
Let me make a few suggestions for how to do this at the next performance evaluation you conduct:
- Explore what might be holding the person you are coaching or mentoring back. Awareness is a huge first step in moving beyond the fear. Ask where the employee may feel challenged or concerned. Don’t ask where they feel afraid. Nobody wants to admit to feeling that emotion.
- Challenge the employee to reframe the issue, viewing it in positive terms.
- Work with the employee to list the worst possible things that can happen and what they would do if these things became reality.
- Encourage the employee to move forward with their new project, assuring them that you are there to support them.
One of the best things a coach can do for someone is to support them in new ventures. So much of our world is uncertain. It’s a wonder that anyone tries anything new these days.
Failure can be so public.
Being there to support those you coach and mentor can go a long way to bringing new ideas, products, and success to the world. Be a part of the world’s advancement. Help someone move beyond their fear.
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