Richard Cox asked:
Anyone who has ever engaged a large or important undertaking, be it commercial, private or in the support of others, knows that at some point FEAR is likely to come into play, and try to derail your best intentions. Anyone engaged in Transformational Leadership wil experience this at some point, mainly because they are human, and it is natural to feel fear.
One of the reasons Transformational Leaders may experience fear mainly due to their position, one that challenges the status quo and finds new ways of being and doing that is sometimes radical or unusual. Fear of failure, the unknown, uncertainty of self can occur, as the leader transforms them self through the process of being a Transformational Leader.
Transformational Leadership is not about being at the top of the mountain, shouting the orders down to those following. A Transformational Leader is often just a few steps ahead, finding the way together with the group. Any leader will feel fear on the journey, particularly when large goals or purposes are engaged.
“I am not enough”, is a deep seated and common false belief and position that a scared, reactive mind may take on the journey, as we learn to let go of ourselves, and learn to trust the process. Something of a human dilemma that we all face if we have the courage to look at it.
So the question for the leader of transformation is: “How do I break through my fear, and continue onwards to the next step?”
“Just Do It!” may be one option, or “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” may be another.
What a transformational leader is required to do is to make a conscious choice to notice the fear of the limited mind, which is conditioned by the past, and interested in self preservation and personal power, and provided there are no deadly riskes, to engage the act of will to make the choice in spite of the fear.
A good way to remember what FEAR really is:
F – False
E – Expectations
A – Appearing
R – Real
Often I have experienced during a coaching session, or delivering new material, that familiar fear. When I feel it, that is a sure sign I am on the right path, and a good trigger to take a breath, surrender to the process and take the next step, whatever that is.
As a Transformational Leader, conscious choice is a powerful tool in the battle with your mind and your will. Transformational Leadership is about making that choice, inside for yourself, and then leading others to engage and commit to their own process, as you did.