8 Fears That Derail Performance-Development
8 Fears That Derail Performance-Development
8 Fears That Derail Performance-Development
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HARD-WIRED TO SURVIVE
Whether we are experiencing mild anxiety or terror,
fearbasedemotionscauseustobehaveinwaysthat
ensure our physical and psychological survival. We
accept our physical fears much more easily than we
doourpsychologicalonesbecausewearetaughtthat
ourfearsmakeusweak.Mostofourproblemsoccur
when we focus on getting rid of our fear or avoiding
thesituationsthatarelikelytocausethem.Fearsare
instinctual,biochemicaleventsthatoccurinthebrain
and body whether we want to them to or not (or
whetherwebelieveitornot!).Itisconnectedtoour
strongest instinct to survive. It is the release of
hormones into the blood stream that gets the body
ready to fight, take flight or to freeze. Our senses
become more acute and we are poised to protect
ourselvesatallcosts.Wecantjusttellourselvesnot
tobeafraid;itsanallornothingtypeofreaction!As
thisisthecase,isntitoddthatwebelieveweshould
beabletogrowoutoforcontrol
this
important
instinctual,
biological process whos sole
purposeistohelpussurvive?
Whether the cause of our fear is
real or imagined, our physical
reactionisthesame.Weperceive
athreatandreactinstinctivelyto
survive.Fight,flightorfreeze.Our
bodies are stimulated and we go
into a heightened state of
arousal,readytorunordobattle.Mostfearsriseout
of perceived threats; things that aren't even real.
Researchshowsthatasmuchas80%ofwhatwefear
never happens. Yet, we allow our lives to be deeply
affectedbecauseofthescarystorieswetellourselves.
Fear,notdesireorpassion,isthestrongestemotional
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highas$35billiondollars.(HealthCanada.Assessingthe
CostsofWorkplaceStress).Still,nooneistalkingabout
fearastherootcauseofthisphenomenallossofhuman
productivityandhowtoidentifyandaddressunderlying
fearsinemployees.
DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR
CAUSED BY EMOTIONAL ACTING
OUT
Theproblemwithnotaddressingtheemotionaldrivers
of behavior is that we end up acting out our feelings
instead. Acting outis a term used to describe self
protective behaviors that arise from feeling afraid or
havingourneedsfrustrated.Itiseasiertoperforman
actionratherthanbearingthefeeling(i.e.fear,anxiety)
and tolerating the unknown. Usually acting out is
designedtomaketheotherpeoplefeelthewaywedo
and is either done unconsciously or semiconsciously.
While someone is acting out, the action performed is
destructivetoselforothersandmayinhibitdeveloping
moreconstructiveresponsestothefeelings.
We are all capable of acting out when we dont feel
ourfears.Everyoneactsoutanditisveryimportantto
know just how we and others around us do it to avert
workplacedysfunction.Actingouttakesmanyformsat
work. A common example is when an employee isnt
abletocompleteaprojectontimeandisafraidtotell
theirmanager.Theylivewiththefearoftheimpending
consequences of missing the deadline, sometimes
makingthemselvessickwithworry.Theyfeelpowerless
in the situation. When the project is due, they are
apologetic and remorseful about not completing it;
secretly hoping their manager will be sympathetic and
are silently angry at them when they arent. The
manager ends up feeling as helpless as the employee
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becausethedeadlinehascomeandgoneandthereis
nothingtheycando.
Another example is when a
manager is afraid to say
something to an employee when
theyarentmasteringsomeofthe
basics of their job. Instead, they
tell themselves the employee
shouldhavemasteredtheirjobby
nowandfeelfrustratedandangry
thattheyhavent.Theyignorethe
employee and avoid speaking to
them. The employee has no idea
why their manager is treating
them the way they are and
become increasingly anxious, making more mistakes
asaresult.Ultimatelytheemployeeisletgobecause
of their poor performance. They feel angry and
frustrated by the lack of interest in helping them be
successful.Themanagerwritesitoffasahiringerror.
Acting out creates organizational dysfunction and is
emotionally driven. We have worked with some of
the top people in Fortune 500 companies,
entrepreneurs and other leadership groups who
werentafraidtosaytheywereactingoutandwanted
tostopbecausetheyweregettinginthewayoftheir
ownsuccess.Theywereeagertofindouttheirpartin
creating the dysfunction so they could do something
about it. Knowing allowed them to shift their own
behaviors and work with their own fears, taking
themselves out of their comfort zones into new
emotionalterritory.
When someone isnt behaving properly at work or
acting out in training activities, we look at what fear
maybedrivingtheirbehavior.Whileitiseasiertotell
someone to change their behavior than to interpret
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has
limited
neural
pathwaystotheemotional
and instinctual Brains at
birth, develops last. These
three brains with their
connections are called the
SelfActualizingSystem.
The three brains are
designed to work with
each other. When the
brain develops along its
desiredtrajectory,webuildstrongpathwaysbetween
our rational, emotional and instinctual brains. This
SelfActualizing System regulates instinctual brain
impulses,whichallowsustosetgoals,imaginewhatis
possible, delay gratification, manage negative
impulses and make decisions in the interest of self
care. It allows us to continue maturing and develop
the capacity to use our whole brains, to become
flexibleandresilient,able tomanageourlives,adapt
tochange,andbecomewhowearemeanttobe.
However, if childhood stressors interfere with the
establishing of neural pathways between these three
brains,westaylivingfromourSelfProtectiveSystem.
The rational brain cant stay on course with its own
development. Instead, it has to keep in check
impulsive reflex reactions that keep popping up. It
adoptsapolicingroleinsteadofaplanning,visioning
anddecidingrole.Thisleadstoexercisingcontrolover
emotions and instincts rather than assimilating them
intoanintegratedapproachtoselfmanagement.
The SP System is wired to protect us from real or
perceived threats to our survival and is activated by
fear and other associated emotions. Threats may be
external or internal, real or imagined. The systems
reactions are automatic in nature and give rise to
freezing, withdrawal,
avoidance, or flight
reactions without any
attempt to understand
or question; the only
goal is to survive.
Because this brain
system does not learn
from mistakes, it keeps
doing the same things
without understanding
why. Not surprisingly, the behaviors prompted by our
SPSystemsareoftenmystifyinglyselfdestructive.
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www.StrivingStyles.com
energy(StrivingStyle)thatdetermineshowwebehave
inordertogettheneedmet.Ratherthanjustinforming
people on how they prefer to behave, it lets people
understand the true drivers of their behavior needs
andemotions.
The SSPS is a complete system which includes both
assessmentandaclearpathfordevelopmentbasedon
apersonsbrainorganization.Itshowshowthebrainis
organized,howneedsandemotionsinfluencebehavior
as well as how to develop by having experiences that
literallyremapyourbrainandsatisfyyourpredominant
need.
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willhaveandwhatwewillsay,becauseweareafraid
of stirring up emotions in others or ourselves.Over
time,wemayacceptthiscompromiseasliving,when,
unknowntous,allwearereallydoingislivinglifeon
autopilot and trying not to rock the boat. Our innate
fears are varied. They are based on our strongest
motivations (striving energies) and their associated
psychologicalneeds.Weareconditionedtojudgeour
fears rather than to examine them and ask ourselves
the purpose of the feeling. Only through
understanding the motivation and need attached to
thefear,canwestopactingoutofthefear.
Based on the Striving Styles Personality System,
thereareeightdistinctpsychologicalneeds,whichare
rooted in the four quadrants of the brain (two per
quadrant). One of these needs is your alpha or
predominant need, so it has the greatest influence
over your behavior and sense of security. It also
determines the innate fear that wields the greatest
power in your life when you are not aware of it or
whenitisbeingtriggered.
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www.StrivingStyles.com
Intellectually autonomous
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ThePerformerhasanimageofwhotheyareandwho
they are becoming. This image is built on the vision
and goals they set for themselves. The image is
generally one of being the best at whatever is
important to themmoney, social status, sports,
goodlooksorintelligence.Theirneed forrecognition
drives them to achieve their image and make it real.
Goals excite and stimulate Performers and they are
energized by working to attain them. Their appetite
forsuccessandrecognitionfuelstheirambition.Then,
once they achieve whatever they were going after,
they create another image or set of goals to strive
toward,biggerandbetterthanthelast!
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pictureandtheirplaceinitforthingstomakesensefor
them. When they cant do see themselves as a part,
they start to feel as though they are invisible and
disengagedfromwhatisgoingon.Theirsenseofselfas
connectedtothegreaterwholefeelsthreatened.
Feedback to them about their performance goals is
usually something they already know. They have an
orientation to continuous improvement and want to
knowwhattheyneedtoimproveon.Theyareintense
whentheyarelearningandtheirverypointedquestions
cancausethetrainerorfacilitatortobeintimidatedby
them. It is their need to perceive that causes them to
askuntiltheycanclearlyseewhattheyarelookingfor.
Should they not be allowed to ask questions, they feel
invisible,disengageandstopparticipating.Theyhavea
particularfeararounddevelopinginterpersonalskillsas
they have trouble picturing themselves behaving the
way they are told they need to. They are negatively
affectedwhentoldtheyareintimidating,toodirect,or
that they ask too many questions as it is through
questioning that they see themselves as a part of the
restoftheworld.
Leap to conclusions
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Socializers
have
a
predominant need to be
connected.Charmingand
appealing, they generate
feelings of goodwill and
enjoymentwhereverthey
go.Theythrivewhenthey
are able to create
harmoniousrelationships.
Socializers believe in a
social order and want to
know where they are in the ranks, what their role is
andhowtheyareconnectedtoothers.Theydotheir
best to rise to the top of the social hierarchy while
maintainingtheirconnectionstoothers.Whetheritis
asanofficemanager,theprincipalofaschoolorthe
coach of the local skating team, they like to be the
Queen Bee or the King of the Hill, with a people
comingtothemforadviceandcouncil.
Socializerstendtoworkinburstsofenergyandhave
difficulty focusing on just one thing right to the end.
Too much sustained effort on a task that does not
involve people disconnects them from the source of
their energyother people. Their ideal work
environment allows them the flexibility to make the
mostoftheseburstsofenergyanddoesnotpenalize
themforthelullsinbetween.Theyneedtobeableto
gowiththeflowoftheirenergyinordertodotheir
bestworkwhilemeetingtheirneedtoconnect.
Socializer Style people have a predominant fear of
feeling abandoned or socially exiled. These people
have a need to help others and feel a loss of their
connection when they have no one to help. They
dontlikethewaytheyfeelwhenotherstrytohelpor
counselthemasitdiminishestheirconnectionthrough
helping causing them to feel a type of abandonment.
Theyneedharmonyintheirrelationshipsandthey will
go along with their boss when told they need training
and development even when they dont agree. They
enjoy the camaraderie of group training sessions but
may end up doing more socializing than learning.
Socializers start getting anxious when they arent
helping others so they often try to assume the role of
teachersassistant.Theywanttobetheonefavoredby
the trainer or facilitator and will try to be helpful to
thembyclarifyinginstructionstopeersandtellingthose
who arent doing things properly what they should be
doing,muchtotheannoyanceoftheirpeers.
Socializers take things very personally and they can be
crushed by performance feedback that they didnt see
comingorhadntconsidered.Theyfeelasthoughtheir
boss is saying they dont like them instead of trying to
help them and they end up feeling abandoned. A
performance discussion can lead to the Socializer
puttingtheirbossandeveryoneelseinthedeepfreeze
as they disconnect emotionally. They use emotional
blackmailanddistortwhatwasdonetothem.Theytell
others how rude or insensitive their boss was, totally
missingthattheirbosswastryingtohelpthem.
Prefers collaboration
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Perfectionists
Demonstrate uniqueness
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Impulsive
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Adverse to change
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Understandingthebrain(howitlearns,thefunctionsof
the brain that people use in the learning process and
the emotional needs and drivers of behavior and the
fears and selfprotective behaviors that get in the way
of learning) is critical in the performance and
developmentprocess.Weneedtobecomemorefluent
indiscussingfearandanxietyandthensteppingoutof
ourcomfortzonetoachieveourgoals.UsingtheSSPS,
we can shift to a new paradigm that includes the
distinct personality styles of employees; how the brain
learns; how emotions enhance learning; and how new
informationshouldbepresented,taught,andrehearsed
inordertoachievedesiredresults.
Fearisanemotionwealldealwith,andhowwehandle
itdetermineswhatkindoflifewe'llleadatworkandat
home whether shackled by anxiety and dread, or
empowered to conquer new challenges. Yet we spend
most of our time trying to avoid fear, so we muddle
along,rarelygettingmuchbetterattheartoftolerating
and mastering it. That's a shame, because with a little
effort we can find the courage to push beyond our
comfortzoneandtacklenewworlds.
www.StrivingStyles.com
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usefulfortheirclientsinarangeofapplications,aswell
asforthemselvesintheirownlives,aswellasfortheir
children.
Using the most uptodate research on how different
partsofthe brainfunctionandtheroleofemotionsin
learning and development, they combined this
information with Psychological Type, Needs and Brain
Dominance theories, Emotional Intelligence and
Mindfulness amongst others to create the Striving
StylesPersonalitySystem,orSSPS.
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ofeachofthe16typesandhowtodeveloptheirwholebrainstoachievepotential.Learn more
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Bookustoday!Weofferarangeofindividualservicesforanyonelookingtogetontheroadtoachievingtheir
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