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Now [Fear] This

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I once worked for a boss who operated from a place of fear.

At times, he could be a really good guy. He was a father and a husband, a family man so to speak. He also had a rough upbringing, plagued with health issues and as a result, took pessimism to an extreme. The glass wasn’t half empty; it was shattered and broken beyond repair. He was a man waiting for the other shoe to drop, mainly because at one point or another, it had.

When things were going smoothly at the office, work was great. The environment was pleasant, open, and even jovial. We collaborated, we came together, and we challenged each other in a respectful fashion. We brought out the best in one another and our team. 

When something scared him though (an employee made a mistake or someone above him asked a question he couldn’t answer), his knee jerk reaction wasn’t pleasant. Suddenly this amiable person put up a wall. He refused to listen at all, much less to logic or reason and instead spewed out demands, which ultimately lead to future failures. Professionalism and potential solutions went out the window. Instead he micro managed, he berated, and he bullied, because deep down underneath it all, he was scared; scared he’d look foolish, scared he’d lose his job, scared the other shoe would drop.

As a result, morale suffered and we lost good employees. Those who remained shut down and isolated, sending creativity, collaboration and innovation out the window. Poor policies hastily put in place ended up crippling the workplace, and the company as a whole suffered.

When we allow fear to dictate our decisions, no one wins.

When we allow fear to dictate our decisions, we shoot unarmed persons of color.

When we allow fear to dictate our decisions, we shut out those who can help us build a better culture.

When we allow fear to dictate our decisions, we close our minds to creativity and innovation.

We put up walls when we should be building bridges.

We close our hearts to humanity when we should be embracing it.

We deem those less fortunate as lazy and system abusers when we should be creating a system which leads to their success.

We demand and divide when we need to listen and learn.

When we allow fear to dictate our decisions, we hurt ourselves, our country and our future.

It’s time to stop allowing our fears to weaken us and instead let our hearts lead us.

Stop allowing our fears to weaken us and instead let our hearts lead us. #Lovetrumpshate

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Thanks for letting me Think Out Loud today Ms. Amanda.

Comments

  4. Tara says

    Thanks for posting this. I go back and forth between being fired up to create change and feeling utterly depressed and defeated. But we absolutely need to keep saying these things out loud (no pun intended).

    Reply

  11. Suzy says

    This is probably my favourite post you’ve ever written. The Fear Vs Love topic has always been close to my heart. I read once that the opposite of love isn’t hate; it’s fear and it stuck with me. Ever since then, it’s been underlined and highlighted in so many ways. I talked to Katie about this last night really late, actually because she’s got a lot of fear in her life right now that’s controlling her. Self awareness is the first step, and then it’s time to face the music.
    Suzy recently posted…BlockedMy Profile

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    • Meghan says

      Yes, I love this thought. The opposition of love is fear, which tends to lead to hate. Fear is a tough one though because we all have it to some degree. Learning how to manage our fears without letting them dictate our decisions is key. I’m rooting for you and Katie.

      Also, I’m thrilled you loved this post. Every so often, I can be serious. Who knew?
      Meghan recently posted…Now [Fear] ThisMy Profile

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Trackbacks

  1. […] Speaking of which, why do we get all hyped up about terrorist acts, yet ignore all the atrocities, which far exceed the former, committed by white men. I’m absolutely more concerned by a shifty Caucasian with an unfortunately small penis and an inferiority complex than I am by a black male in a hoodie or a woman in hijab. It’s 2017. It’s past time to let go of our intolerance and fear based judgements. […]

    Reply

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