Is fear trickling down from the top? Four conversation starters to help teams
The fallout of the pandemic for C-suite and Boards is real.
Executives have faced the same challenges as many of us of course (I mean, they are people after all!) managing their own family lives in and amongst the remote working. At the same time, those ELTs that I've been lucky enough to stand beside, are also focused on creating connected cultures of individuals all facing their own personal and professional challenges. They’ve had to make difficult decisions into unknown futures. All while continuing to deliver results.
Of course, this is the case for many of us, whether we are in such a senior role or not. However, it should be noted that there is a very serious trickle-down effect of fear in the C-suite.
The stats show the strain. According to a global survey from Oracle, 85% of bosses say they have had significant challenges adjusting to remote work and more than half, 53%, say they have struggled with mental health issues. In most situations this can show up as withdrawal from connecting, irritations, short temper, indecision, procrastination, tension, masking (looking 'as if' everything is ‘fine’), or over-dependence on the leader (CEO/Chair).
Our under-pressure executive teams must understand how to manage their fear individually and collectively to maintain the safety of all.
Here are four conversation starters to have in senior teams:
1. Review the 'how' we are working rather than 'what' we are working on: A group of people who are managing their fear well can act with courage, vulnerability, humbleness, and generosity. They ask for help, actively listen and contribute, are agile in their decision-making, and bring a sense of fun!
2. How safe are we to be real? How capable are the individuals in having kind and clear conversations that show compassion? How able are they to acknowledge and accept mistakes, own their emotions, and create the safe space required to hold each other to account or drive each other's best self?
3. How is fear showing up for us? A perceived threat often triggers flight, fight or freeze survival instincts unnecessarily. Understanding that our fear reaction wants us to behave in one of these ways means we can notice when it is happening and call it out so that we can separate the fear from our action.
4. Can we use each other more to manage our fears so we are not allowing fear to control us individually covertly Fear can when left unshared, fester and undermine our decision clarity. Using each other better to talk through our fears, can disentangle the hold fear has on us so we make better decisions.
Throughout all this change and uncertainty, the C-suite has a unique opportunity to redefine itself as a role model for courageous, collaborative working that understands fear and the role it can play in both diminishing and expanding performance.
And that’s exciting.
Click here to watch a summary of a video series I did for the CEO Institute and IIDM Global on how fear limits our collective intelligence and what your executive teams can do about it.
BOOKING FOR KEYNOTE SPEAKING FOR 2022/2023 (virtual/physical) Email Ellen via support@dramysilver.com to check dates for your event if you want your audience to understand how to stop fear interfering so we head into our most powerful future together.