Andrea Waltz is the co-author of “Go for No! – Yes is the Destination, No is How You Get There,” a short powerful story written specifically for sales professionals in every industry who must learn to harness the power of no to be successful. To learn more, visit www.goforno.com

Leading People Through Fear

by Andrea Waltz

In meetings all around the world, leaders are challenged to help their teams of people get better. No one seems to talk about the elephant in the room. We don’t talk of it much because it’s not necessarily something that can be solved overnight but it certainly needs attention.

That “elephant” is fear.

When I was in the corporate world and later as an outside speaker and trainer, I saw many training and development efforts roll out with great fanfare, only to stutter, stall, and never deliver behavior change.

I’ve come to the inescapable realization that the main reason things don’t get the desired results, is that the new skills require risk on the part of the learner. What are people afraid of?

• Fear of rejection
• Fear of failure
• Fear of hearing no
• Even the fear of success

It requires an individual to take a chance, to stick their neck out and try something different, perhaps even scary. It requires that people be willing to fail, sometimes over and over again, until they get it right.

This is certainly true with the methodology we teach called, “Go for No!” which is designed to combat these exact fears.

Celebrate Failures

In order to reduce fears and to see more behavior change – whether implementing ‘Go for No’ or any other kind of training program, it will be because the frontline leaders support and celebrate the failures that people go through in the process of learning and trying new skills.

If people believe they are in an environment that does not allow for mistakes and failures, they will never stick their necks out to try. So, what’s the answer?

Leaders cannot simply tolerate failure as “okay.” They must encourage it. They must celebrate it! They must reward it! Like a parent who claps over and over while their kid shakily manages to ride a few feet before toppling over, leaders must do the same.

Help your people test their potential. Challenge them to be their best but give them the freedom to fail.

They’ll often amaze you.

To learn how to implement Go For No! into your organization, check out Andrea’s training at: https://thenonprofitacademy.com/trainings/go-fundraising-success/ (membership required)