You miss every shot that you don't take.
How are we coaching our leaders to become fearless?
The first question is – should we? Some would equate fearlessness with being bold and seizing opportunity. Others might call it reckless or risky.
A good leader is all of those things. Bold and ready to seize an opportunity. Willing to take risks and sometimes, when the potential prize is big enough, maybe a little reckless. Not every day, but on the right days.
How do you develop someone to know which day it’s wise to be reckless? I think it takes practice and coaching.
To be a good leader, you must be able to operate without fear. Starting or leading a business is fearless. Your industry doesn’t wait around. You must use your reasoning, your analysis, your instincts; you must use your head and your heart. Confidence, when confirmed over and over, will grow, to conquer fear.
Back to coaching. How do we help our leaders grow their confidence until it is fearlessness? It doesn’t happen by accident.
In coaching, there is a question that I ask people on the brink of a big decision: “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Truly, what is the worst possible outcome? It’s rarely as disastrous as you fear. Tomorrow, the sun will still rise.
This is a critical thinking skill we need to teach our leaders. The worst scenario can be to not take the risk. To not take the shot. To allow the fear or discomfort to become yet another barrier. You miss every shot that you don’t take.
But just like all of us did in the past (whether we realised it or not) – everyone needs to start small. Grow their confidence in their own instincts and eventually they will step into the big decisions and push aside the fear. We need to set people up to win. And celebrate those wins, so that bigger ones come easier and faster.