Effective at Conquering Your Fears at Work

Happy December, a great month for self-reflection! As we start this introspective journey, let's kick off a series of posts centered around the theme of retrospection. Today, our focus turns to the issue of "feeling scared" at work, and how we can manage this common sentiment. The metaphor I am about to share is one that consistently stands out from my courses. I believe this is due to the fact that many people relate to the feeling of "Being Chased by a Lion at work".

Understanding the human brain: In the 1960's, Dr. Paul McLean created a model that divided the brain into three main parts: The Neocortex (Human Brain) is responsible for logic and abstract thought; the Limbic System (Mammalian Brain) addresses emotions and empathy; and the Reptilian Complex, at the inner core of the brain, is dedicated to instincts and survival, focusing on the primal 4 Fs (Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing, and...Reproduction). This ancient reptilian core, developed over 100 million years ago, governs our involuntary functions, including heartbeats and breathing.

Research has found that workplace stress triggers the Reptilian Brain’s response. Picture this: your manager tasks you with leading the next team Quarterly Business Review (QBR) Document, a task you've never done before. You add this to your "To Do List," but the unfamiliarity sends all sorts of feelings through your system (your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy…), mainly activating your Reptilian Brain. Interestingly, your primitive instincts react to getting assigned a challenging project the same way as they do when being chased by a ferocious lion. How do you navigate this instinctive response?

You turn the lion into small kittens. In other words, you break down this big, scary, ambiguous project into smaller, attainable tasks that your Reptilian Brain won't be scared about. In terms of leading the next QBR document, you can first read last quarters' document, then create the structure of the doc, then schedule a kick-off meeting, etc, etc, etc. The trick is that your reptilian brain will not react the same way if the task at hand is to first read a document compared to when the challenge seemed ambiguous.

Time for introspection: Your goal is to conquer the "Scary Lions"

1. Review your current task list and "Turn the Lions into Small Kittens." I once encountered someone after a training session who was stressed and seeking assistance. Carrying a notebook of daunting "To-Do's," one item stood out – "Plan Wedding." I encouraged this person to consciously break this down into numerous smaller tasks (e.g. find a DJ, catering, venue). This example is relatable, but we can sometimes do this with our work related items, without realizing it.

2. If a broken-down task still feels like a lion, break it down even further. Following this exercise, you may realize that even a segmented task like "Find a DJ for my wedding" still seems like a "Lion." In such cases, further deconstruction is necessary (e.g. reach out to recent brides for DJ recommendations, conduct an online search for local DJs).

3. Reflect on what makes you feel like "being chased by a lion" and proactively address the root cause. Identify the aspects that typically activate your primal instincts. To recognize your fears, reflect on tasks that you often procrastinate – those that are repeatedly postponed. You might notice a common thread, such as "writing a document" or "sending a mass email," signaling a need to confront and improve a particular skill.

Many people have adopted this metaphor into their daily lives and are constantly trying to “conquer their lions.” Hope you join the safari.

It means no worries for the rest of your days,

Jorge Luis Pando

"The lizard brain is the reason you’re afraid, the reason you don’t do all the art you can, the reason you don’t ship when you can. The lizard brain is the source of the resistance." - Seth Godin in "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?"