It camp 2014 managing fear - peter leeson
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"Managing Fear" - keynote presentation at IT Camp 2014. The topic is should you avoid fear and "cure" it, or can you use fear as a positive force to help you change things? I am not sure how much of this can be understood without the corresponding explanations, but for those who were at the conference and asked for a copy, I am happy to share.
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It camp 2014 managing fear - peter leeson
- 1. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Huge thanks to our sponsors & partners! 1
- 2. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Managing Fear Can fear be a constructive tool? ©Q:PITLtd2014 2
- 3. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Huge thanks to our sponsors & partners! 3
- 4. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • International association of independent process improvement professionals • Q:PIT means… –Reducing the cost of Quality through Process improvement, Information management and Teamwork Q:PIT Ltd ©Q:PITLtd2014 5
- 5. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Director of Q:PIT Ltd • SCAMPI Lead Appraiser and CMMI Instructor • Visiting Scientist with the CMMI Institute • Over 35 years of software engineering • Over 20 years as process improvement professional • Process Improvement experience in Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland… Peter Leeson ©Q:PITLtd2014 6
- 6. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? Question ©Q:PITLtd2014 7 矛盾
- 7. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Culture of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 8 As citizens of the European Union, Romanians are fully entitled to freely travel and find jobs in all 28 EU member States. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills found there were 655,000 vacancies in the UK between March and July 2013. Figures from a Romanian website that hosts more than 200 recruitment agencies shows 10,367 vacancies advertised by British employers on the website last month. But it looks like Romanians are not in a hurry to come.
- 8. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# …in all matters… ©Q:PITLtd2014 9
- 9. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# …including business. ©Q:PITLtd2014 10 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑒 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑠 Goal: 15% increased efficiency Yearly reviews, bonuses and promotions are based on whether your organization has met its goals If goals are not met, your departmental budget will be cut
- 10. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • We nearly all suffer of fear of something – Flying – Falling – Closed spaces – Open spaces – Spiders – Being buried alive – Unemployment – Ageing – Solitude – Loss – Death The Commonality of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 11
- 11. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Why is Fear Important? ©Q:PITLtd2014 12
- 12. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# The Psychology of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 13 Ablutophobia Achluophobia Acrophobia Agoraphobia Agraphobia Agrizoophobia Agyrophobia Aichmophobia Ailurophobia AlgophobiaAmychophobia AndrophobiaAnthophobia Anthropophobia Aquaphobia Arachnophobia Astraphobia Atychiphobia Autophobia Automatonophobia Aviophobia Barophobia Chaetophobia Chemophobia Chiroptophobia Chromophobia Chronophobia Cibophobia Claustrophobia Cleithrophobia Coulrophobia Cyberphobia Decidophobia Dentophobia Disposophobia Dysmorphophobia Emetophobia ErgasiophobiaErgophobia Erotophobia Friggatriskaidekaphobia Frigophobia Gamophobia Gelotophobia Genophobia Gerascophobia Gerontophobia Globophobia Glossophobia Gymnophobia Gynophobia Hadephobia Halitophobia Haphephobia Heliophobia HemophobiaHexakosioihexekontahexaphobia Hoplophobia Hylophobia Hypnophobia Ichthyophobia Koumpounophobia Lipophobia MelissophobiaMusophobia Myrmecophobia Mysophobia Necrophobia Neophobia Nomophobia Nosocomephobia Nosophobia Nyctophobia Obesophobia Oikophobia Ombrophobia OmphalophobiaOphthalmophobia Ornithophobia Osmophobia Panphobia Papaphobia Pediophobia Phagophobia Pharmacophobia Philophobia Phobophobia Phonophobia Pogonophobia Pyrophobia Radiophobia Sesquipedalophobia Scopophobia Sociophobia Somniphobia Spectrophobia Stygiophobia Taphophobia Technophobia Tetraphobia Thalassophobia Thanatophobia Thermophobia Tokophobia Traumatophobia Triskaidekaphobia Trypanophobia Trypophobia Turophobia Uranophobia Xanthophobia XenophobiaXylophobia Homophobia Kainotophobia Kakorrhaphiophobia
- 13. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# The Psychology of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 14 Ablutophobia Achluophobia Acrophobia Agoraphobia Agraphobia Agrizoophobia Agyrophobia Aichmophobia Ailurophobia AlgophobiaAmychophobia AndrophobiaAnthophobia Anthropophobia Aquaphobia Arachnophobia Astraphobia Atychiphobia Autophobia Automatonophobia Aviophobia Barophobia Chaetophobia Chemophobia Chiroptophobia Chromophobia Chronophobia Cibophobia Claustrophobia Cleithrophobia Coulrophobia Cyberphobia Decidophobia Dentophobia Disposophobia Dysmorphophobia Emetophobia ErgasiophobiaErgophobia Erotophobia Friggatriskaidekaphobia Frigophobia Gamophobia Gelotophobia Genophobia Gerascophobia Gerontophobia Globophobia Glossophobia Gymnophobia Gynophobia Hadephobia Halitophobia Haphephobia Heliophobia HemophobiaHexakosioihexekontahexaphobia Hoplophobia Hylophobia Hypnophobia Ichthyophobia Koumpounophobia Lipophobia MelissophobiaMusophobia Myrmecophobia Mysophobia Necrophobia Neophobia Nomophobia Nosocomephobia Nosophobia Nyctophobia Obesophobia Oikophobia Ombrophobia OmphalophobiaOphthalmophobia Ornithophobia Osmophobia Panphobia Papaphobia Pediophobia Phagophobia Pharmacophobia Philophobia Phobophobia Phonophobia Pogonophobia Pyrophobia Radiophobia Sesquipedalophobia Scopophobia Sociophobia Somniphobia Spectrophobia Stygiophobia Taphophobia Technophobia Tetraphobia Thalassophobia Thanatophobia Thermophobia Tokophobia Traumatophobia Triskaidekaphobia Trypanophobia Trypophobia Turophobia Uranophobia Xanthophobia XenophobiaXylophobia Homophobia Kainotophobia Kakorrhaphiophobia Sesquipedalophobia
- 14. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# The Psychology of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 15 Ablutophobia Achluophobia Acrophobia Agoraphobia Agraphobia Agrizoophobia Agyrophobia Aichmophobia Ailurophobia AlgophobiaAmychophobia AndrophobiaAnthophobia Anthropophobia Aquaphobia Arachnophobia Astraphobia Atychiphobia Autophobia Automatonophobia Aviophobia Barophobia Chaetophobia Chemophobia Chiroptophobia Chromophobia Chronophobia Cibophobia Claustrophobia Cleithrophobia Coulrophobia Cyberphobia Decidophobia Dentophobia Disposophobia Dysmorphophobia Emetophobia ErgasiophobiaErgophobia Erotophobia Friggatriskaidekaphobia Frigophobia Gamophobia Gelotophobia Genophobia Gerascophobia Gerontophobia Globophobia Glossophobia Gymnophobia Gynophobia Hadephobia Halitophobia Haphephobia Heliophobia HemophobiaHexakosioihexekontahexaphobia Hoplophobia Hylophobia Hypnophobia Ichthyophobia Koumpounophobia Lipophobia MelissophobiaMusophobia Myrmecophobia Mysophobia Necrophobia Neophobia Nomophobia Nosocomephobia Nosophobia Nyctophobia Obesophobia Oikophobia Ombrophobia OmphalophobiaOphthalmophobia Ornithophobia Osmophobia Panphobia Papaphobia Pediophobia Phagophobia Pharmacophobia Philophobia Phobophobia Phonophobia Pogonophobia Pyrophobia Radiophobia Sesquipedalophobia Scopophobia Sociophobia Somniphobia Spectrophobia Stygiophobia Taphophobia Technophobia Tetraphobia Thalassophobia Thanatophobia Thermophobia Tokophobia Traumatophobia Triskaidekaphobia Trypanophobia Trypophobia Turophobia Uranophobia Xanthophobia XenophobiaXylophobia Homophobia Kainotophobia Kakorrhaphiophobia Homophobia Xenophobia
- 15. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# The Psychology of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 16 Ablutophobia Achluophobia Acrophobia Agoraphobia Agraphobia Agrizoophobia Agyrophobia Aichmophobia Ailurophobia AlgophobiaAmychophobia AndrophobiaAnthophobia Anthropophobia Aquaphobia Arachnophobia Astraphobia Atychiphobia Autophobia Automatonophobia Aviophobia Barophobia Chaetophobia Chemophobia Chiroptophobia Chromophobia Chronophobia Cibophobia Claustrophobia Cleithrophobia Coulrophobia Cyberphobia Decidophobia Dentophobia Disposophobia Dysmorphophobia Emetophobia ErgasiophobiaErgophobia Erotophobia Friggatriskaidekaphobia Frigophobia Gamophobia Gelotophobia Genophobia Gerascophobia Gerontophobia Globophobia Glossophobia Gymnophobia Gynophobia Hadephobia Halitophobia Haphephobia Heliophobia HemophobiaHexakosioihexekontahexaphobia Hoplophobia Hylophobia Hypnophobia Ichthyophobia Koumpounophobia Lipophobia MelissophobiaMusophobia Myrmecophobia Mysophobia Necrophobia Neophobia Nomophobia Nosocomephobia Nosophobia Nyctophobia Obesophobia Oikophobia Ombrophobia OmphalophobiaOphthalmophobia Ornithophobia Osmophobia Panphobia Papaphobia Pediophobia Phagophobia Pharmacophobia Philophobia Phobophobia Phonophobia Pogonophobia Pyrophobia Radiophobia Sesquipedalophobia Scopophobia Sociophobia Somniphobia Spectrophobia Stygiophobia Taphophobia Technophobia Tetraphobia Thalassophobia Thanatophobia Thermophobia Tokophobia Traumatophobia Triskaidekaphobia Trypanophobia Trypophobia Turophobia Uranophobia Xanthophobia XenophobiaXylophobia Homophobia Kainotophobia Kakorrhaphiophobia Technophobia Atychiphobia Kakorrhaphiophobia Kainotophobia
- 16. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Unknown –Technology –Change • Own limits –Discovery –Control Types of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 17 • Cartoon animals • Memories
- 17. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Fear can be a paralysing force; blocking progress • Fear has nearly always been seen as negative Treating Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 18
- 18. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Often quoted • Rarely read Meet Dr. W. Edwards Deming ©Q:PITLtd2014 19 First published 1982
- 19. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# 1. Create constancy of purpose 2. Adopt the new philosophy 3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality 4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price only 5. Improve constantly and forever the system 6. Institute training on the job 7. Institute leadership 8. Drive out fear so that everyone may work effectively 9. Break down barriers between departments 10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the work force 11a. Eliminate work standards and quotas – substitute leadership 11b. Eliminate management by objective, numbers, numerical goals – substitute leadership 12a. Remove barriers that rob the worker of his right to pride of workmanship 12b. Remove barriers that rob people in management of their right to pride of workmanship 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement 14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation 14 Points for Management ©Q:PITLtd2014 20
- 20. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Two main areas: –The origin of fear • Childhood trauma • Evolutionary remnants • Lack of understanding –Overcoming fear • Psychology • Hypnosis • Medication Studies of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 21
- 21. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Medically Overcoming Fear? ©Q:PITLtd2014 22 D-cycloserine (DCS) slots into part of the MNDA receptors in the brain – which modulate the neurones’ ability to adjust their signalling to in response to events
- 22. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • The MNDA tunes the firing of neurons, which is one of the key ways for the brain to store memories • At very low doses, DCS boosts that process, improving our ability to learn • This strengthens the response to traditional therapy for fears and phobia More Precisely… ©Q:PITLtd2014 23
- 23. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Education –If you understand the life, motivation and appetites of spiders, you will not be afraid of them –If you understand the principles of avionics and aerodynamics, you will be less afraid of flying –If you understand why the process is necessary and that it is not just bureaucracy, you are more likely to accept it Overcoming Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 24
- 24. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Support –Try to understand why people are afraid of the change, of the new technology – talk to them but (more importantly) listen to them –Stand by them and show how it helps and supports –Take time Overcoming Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 25
- 25. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • What happens when unstoppable force hits an immovable object? Question ©Q:PITLtd2014 26 What if you are the immovable object, paralysed by fear, faced with the unstoppable force of change?
- 26. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Can fear be completely eliminated? • Should fear be eliminated? • Should such a powerful force be eliminated? So, Fear is Bad? ©Q:PITLtd2014 27
- 27. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Should a force this powerful be stopped, or can we use it? ©Q:PITLtd2014 28
- 29. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Managing Fear 30 ©Q:PITLtd2014
- 30. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Batman – great comic, but… not a real character, is he? Managing Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 31
- 31. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# How about… ©Q:PITLtd2014 32
- 32. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Steve Jobs and… ©Q:PITLtd2014 33
- 33. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Steve Jobs and Music ©Q:PITLtd2014 34
- 34. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Steve Jobs and Phones ©Q:PITLtd2014 35
- 35. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Steve Jobs and Computers ©Q:PITLtd2014 36
- 36. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Fear is a powerful force • Imagine what you could do if… Managing Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 37
- 37. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Fear is a powerful force and needs to be understood and used • Without fear, we would never have built houses • Without fear, Alan Turing would never have had the funding to build the Colossus computer • Without fear, no progress would have been possible Using Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 38
- 38. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Strong leadership • Sense of urgency • Vision of success • Communication • Empowerment • Regular improvements • Consolidating gains • Encouraging change Fundamentals of Success ©Q:PITLtd2014 39
- 39. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • “Help others see the need for change and they will be convinced of the importance of acting immediately” • (KotterInternational.com) Sense of Urgency? ©Q:PITLtd2014 40
- 40. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Fear is an vital response to physical and emotional danger • It allows defence and action Business Effective Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 41
- 41. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • There are a number of fears which will benefit your work and your company • Use them wisely The Positive Use of Fear ©Q:PITLtd2014 42
- 42. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Global Market ©Q:PITLtd2014 43
- 43. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Progress ©Q:PITLtd2014 44
- 44. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# New Ways of Working ©Q:PITLtd2014 45Illustration from “LeanCoach Architect” by BizzDesign
- 45. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Service Level Continuity ©Q:PITLtd2014 46
- 46. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Service Level Continuity ©Q:PITLtd2014 47
- 47. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# The Expensive Error ©Q:PITLtd2014 48
- 48. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Compare Actuals to Estimates Actual Est.A Est.B Est.C Ave.A Ave.B Ave.C Realistic Promises ©Q:PITLtd2014 49
- 49. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Rising Costs ©Q:PITLtd2014 50
- 50. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Cheap Labour ©Q:PITLtd2014 51
- 51. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • “Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them” • Epictetus (Ἐπίκτητος; AD c. 55-13) • “If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgement of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgement now.” • Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Manage your Fears ©Q:PITLtd2014 52
- 52. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Conclusion? ©Q:PITLtd2014 53
- 53. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Liam ©Q:PITLtd2014 54 You do what you can, whatever your status in life.
- 54. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Q & A ©Q:PITLtd2014 55
- 55. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? Question ©Q:PITLtd2014 56
- 56. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Based on the law of physics, an immovable object has an unstoppable force of inertia. According to Einstein’s laws of physics, for anything to have an unstoppable force, it requires an infinite mass. For two “things” to have an infinite mass, they necessarily are required to be the same, therefore… • When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, the universe happens! Answer ©Q:PITLtd2014 57
- 57. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# And that is… ©Q:PITLtd2014 58
- 58. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Now you know that I’m right And you got that feeling I told you before that it’s magical Yes, it’s magical Now you know what it’s like And you’re starting to feel it But you just can’t deny it’s incredible If I only knew all the things you could tell me We could be dancing with stars in the night It’s a Miracle! It’s a Miracle! I can see it now! Fear as a Positive Force for Change!? ©Q:PITLtd2014 59
- 59. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# • Peter Leeson – Q:PIT Ltd PO Box 6066 Milton Keynes MK1 9BH United Kingdom – Tel: +44 (0)20 8433 4120 – Fax: +44 (0)7006 010 575 – Mobile/Cell: +44 (0)773 998 98 67 – E Mail: Peter@qpit.ltd.uk – Skype: qpitpjl – Web: http://www.qpit.net Contact Information ©Q:PITLtd2014 61
- 60. Premium community conference on Microsoft technologies itcampro@ itcamp14# Huge thanks to our sponsors & partners! ©Q:PITLtd2014 62
Editor's Notes
- ©Q:PIT Ltd 2014
- ©Q:PIT Ltd 2014
- Máodùn – Chinese word for “paradox”, literally “spear-shield” The term originates from a story in the 3rd century BC philosophical book Han Feizi. In the story, a man was trying to sell a spear and a shield. When asked how good his spear was, he said that his spear could pierce any shield. Then, when asked how good his shield was, he said that it could defend from all spear attacks. Then one person asked him what would happen if he were to take his spear to strike his shield; the seller could not answer. This led to the idiom of "zìxīang máodùn" (自相矛盾), or "self-contradictory".
- Fear is a tool which is currently used by many political movements. In the UK, there is a large push of extremist political parties which are promoting the fear of the foreigner and the fear of Europe. In particular, they are warning people about Europeans who are coming to Britain to take jobs from the British people, while at the same time living off benefits because they don’t work. When these warnings are proven to be wrong, these political parties are not held to account, but continue to promote fear of the future based on more falsified statistics.
- This is not new – we are still living with a heritage of religious fear, which tells us that everyone other than one small group are going to suffer eternal torment. Religion has a great benefits and has brought about stability and education, but again, a small group of extremists continue to promote fear of eternal damnation, while making a lot of money to spend on themselves.
- The culture of fear is promoted in business through the pressure of achieving ever more challenging KPI (Key Performance Indicators), frequently, people are being judged based on measurements on which they have little or no influence.
- Fear is an important factor in life because not only can fear produce complete paralysis, stopping people from doing anything, including saving themselves, but fear is arguably one of the only two forces which creates and promotes hate and everything that comes with it.
- Fear is a fascinating factor and people have been studying, naming and classifying fears for a long time. It is a prime source of revenue for the psychiatric industries. And more – 530 phobias listed at phobialist.com
- My apologies for any of you who suffer of Sesquipedalophobia – fear of long words
- Some fears are so powerful that in common language they have come to be seen as expressions of hate rather than fear. This includes - Xenophobia – fear of foreigners - Homophobia – fear of sameness, monotony ; fear of homosexuality
- Within the work place. Some forms of fear are very detrimental and can cause no end of trouble when trying to move your organization on to the future. These include: - Atychiphobia and Kakorrhaphiophobia - fear of failure - Technophobia - fear of technology (see also Luddite) - Kainotophobia - fear of change
- We can generally classify fears into four groups: Fear of the unknown is possibly the most common, it includes the fear of death, the fear of what would happen if… Most people like to have some level of certainty, control, continuity in their lives. The unknown is a big disrupter. Frequently related to the fear of the unknown are the fear of one’s own limits: will I be able to cope if something happens. What will happen when my manager discovers that I don’t really know what I am doing but making it up as I go along? Fear of cartoon animals (not the fear of real animals) is the fear of what we think things are or might be. It is our idea of a spider which scares us rather than the inoffensive tiny creature which eats insects Fear of memories is an issue for people who have had a childhood trauma and are worried that it my happen again.
- Because fear is a force which stops you from doing things, even if you believe that you should be doing them, it is frequently seen as a negative force. Surely something which stops you from acting, which paralyses you, must be something bad. This is not always the case. Your guide on an African safari will tell you that you are right to be afraid of getting out of the vehicle to take a close up picture of a pack of lions eating.
- Fear is seen as negative in the world of business. Dr Deming is generally considered as one of the supreme authorities in change management and performance enhancement of industries. Unfortunately, very few people have ever bother reading him directly and trying to understand what he was actually saying, while his short sound-bite statements are being continuously repeated, even by people who do not really know what they mean.
- One of the more important texts that Deming published, where his 14 points for effective management. These are all very valid points which continue to be ignored by management all over the world. Within this list, number 8 tells us to drive out fear, because it stops people from working effectively. Note also points 11a and b, which point back to a previous statement about KPIs and the mis-use of measurement in order to increase fear.
- When I got interested in the concept of fear, I started looking up what has been done on the subject, and I found the research and publications generally very poor indeed. Only two areas of fear appear to have been worth studying in some detail. They are the origin of any particular fear and how to overcome it. One piece of research caught my eye in particular, and that was the use of medication to get rid of fear.
- The medication does not stop you from being afraid and encourage you to do stupid things, but it acts om the MNDA in your brain…
- … which acts on the neurons. In low doses, the medication improves our ability to learn by increasing neuron activity and, thereby, improves our response to traditional therapy. This is an interesting point which fell in line with my theory that one of the most important way to get over your fear is education.
- When confronted with fear, you should not lose patience, even if you do not understand, but you should learn to show compassion, willingness to listen, to discuss it. Help the frightened person take the first steps.
- There was a little boy who was left all alone in the world when his parents died, alone with a hunger for justice. He was terrified of bats, particularly when those bats attacked him in his parents’ mausoleum. He decided to use his fear for good and, by managing his fear, become a force for justice.
- How about a real character?
- Steve Jobs
- A profound phobia of buttons, which explains first why he was always seen in polo or turle-neck sweaters rather than suits and shirts. But his phobia went beyond the traditional one and gave him a phobia of all sorts of buttons.
- He created the music player without buttons
- He created the phone without buttons
- He created the computer without buttons All this because he decided to use the force of fear rather than get cured.
- John Kotter is generally recognized as one of the number one gurus in changing companies. After strong leadership, he claims that the only way progress can be made is if there is a strong sense of urgency
- You are up against global competition, someone is doing the same work you are doing, only cheaper. You should be afraid of losing your short-term customers to a country which offers cheaper man-hours. Or you could ensure that you are recognized in what you do. Think about your unique selling point – how can you make sure the world knows that you are better?
- Progress is going to happen, with or without you. The older you get, the more difficult it is to follow and adapt. Today’s consumer likes gadgets and is interested in buying something new and flashy because it is new and flashy. Your products are about to become old-fashioned, someone has a newer product out there and is going to steal your customers. Unless you do your research to stay at the cutting edge. You could also encourage your engineers to think outside the box and come up with new solutions.
- The new ways of working you may be rolling out will take away some of those long-standing specialities which only you could do, the idea that you could solve the problem every time is going to suffer when that problem no longer exists. Of course, the new ways of working mean that people will be sharing their skills and knowledge with you, helping you to become more efficient. You could join in the movement, or get left behind.
- A few years ago, a major reservoir of jet fuel in England exploded. Next door to this reservoir was the IT centre which served libraries and schools through the United Kingdom, it was completely destroyed. The customers never noticed, the system was back up and running before Monday morning.
- Of course, I don’t expect many of you to be next door to a place that suddenly goes up in flames
- The stupid mistake. Something dramatic, the system broke down, the customers are all shouting loudly, what if you made it? Reviewing each other’s work is a simple way to identify and remove a lot of mistakes before they become serious. It has nothing to do with the fact that we don’t trust you or are trying to control you, it has to do with the fact that you are human, and we all fail.
- Estimating is a difficult problem. When comparing these three estimates, sales and marketing will always think that estimator B (red) is the best guy, he always comes up with the shortest delays and costs, and gets the contract signed. Estimator C (green) is appreciated by management, who is proud to tell me that “we always deliver on time”. You want to try to educate management and customers to understand why estimator A (blue) is the one they should be considering.
- Costs are climbing at a fantastic rate. This is used to explain how IT people in this area and in others feel that they can easily find a job somewhere else and earn more money. They don’t have more value because they have not learnt something new or amazing, they are just putting up their prices and encouraging the world to look elsewhere.
- Cheap labour is available in other countries. You are about to lose your contracts to someone in Brazil, in Morocco or in South-East Asia. That is unless you can show that you are experienced and deliver high-quality which these cheap people cannot (yet) imitate.
- Fear is not a bad thing. It is a force which should prompt you to change. This has been known for a long time. Your perception is more important than the facts.
- Or, in other words…
- Six months ago, Liam was homeless and hopeless. Today, he is volunteering for a charity which collects free samples and gifts from companies and delivers them to needy children. Today, he is happy, he is active, he is appreciated.