I get to work with a lot of executive management groups across the globe; helping them develop strategies to play a bigger game, achieve more, be more, do more and have more. I find the dynamics and interactions of these groups intriguing. Invariably the first hurdle we have to overcome is the barriers to each individual playing a bigger game.
This week I was working with a group of executives that I have worked with for over two years. We had a group of 18 people working together in a room and I could sense that something was not quite right. I was getting some push back on the strategy and direction from some of the team. Although most were excited, enthusiastic and full of energy, this energy was being undermined by a couple of the players. I couldn’t understand why and was racking my brain to find a reason for it.
Eventually it hit me. Some of the team was out of their depth; we had raised the bar over the last couple of years to the point where some team members couldn’t keep up. The tension I could feel in the room was FEAR, people pushing back because they were out of their comfort zone and scared of what was going to happen.
We all have this experience when pushing the boundaries, stretching for the targets, goals and horizons. If we do not break through the fear we go nowhere. Breaking through is actually quite simple.
There are two things you need to break through the fear barrier: CONFIDENCE and CAPABILITY.
You can build CONFIDENCE by taking small incremental steps, by getting someone who has ‘been there’ ‘done that’ to support and direct you.
You can build CAPABILITY by learning and developing your knowledge and skills, seeking guidance and direction from others, developing a plan of action.
When we addressed these two things with the executive team, the breakthroughs they had were amazing.
FEAR is one of the biggest blocks to playing a bigger game, find a way to overcome it and you’re on your way to the next level.
Don’t let fear stop you! PLAY BIGGER!
Rowdy Mclean, is a keynote speaker and author of Play a Bigger Game, published in 7 countries. “Playing a Bigger Game” is Rowdy’s life story, overcoming adversity and challenges to achieve remarkable results. A Certified Speaking Professional, Rowdy has founded five companies, played professional sport, run marathons, climbed mountains and broken world records. He has presented to over 250,000 people in Europe, China, Asia, United States, and Australia. Rowdy will show you, your team and your organization how to achieve more, be more, do more and have more than they ever imagined.