A few weeks ago Dr. Johnston shared an overview of the 5 Foundations of Accountability. In this article Dr. Johnston breaks down the foundation of Courage.
FEAR
Fear is a sneaky but debilitating force in a team. It doesn’t typically announce its presence with fireworks and fanfare; it just settles in quietly and turns people into smaller, less potent versions of themselves. In short order, communication gets warped, vulnerability disappears, negative competition rises, and the vigor and vitality of the team evaporate.
It’s especially damaging to creative teams because it kills innovation and the creative spirit. Creativity is inherently risky — it requires exploring new ideas and stepping into uncharted territory. When fear sets in and people become worried about making mistakes, they stop taking risks entirely. That’s the moment creativity and innovation die.
The reason fear is so debilitating is because it doesn’t just suppress creativity — it recruits people into their own retreat. When the culture feels threatening, people protect themselves by caring less. They pull back. They disengage. They stay only in “safe,” predictable territory. And when vulnerability disappears, trust, joy and pride disappear with it.
If you want a team that leans in — that owns the mission and supports each other — you must make fear Public Enemy Number One. Remove it whenever it shows up. Replace it with courage. Courage is one of the Five Foundations of Accountability because it fuels ownership, commitment and wholehearted engagement.
Here are some tips for Encouraging Your Team.
1. Stop Fear at its Source.
Fear is like an infection in your team. Treating the symptoms might make today more tolerable, but it won’t fix the root problem — and it won’t change your team’s long-term trajectory.
You must identify and eliminate the source.
Here are four common sources of fear in organizations. Do any sound familiar?
2. Fill Their Sails
Fear sucks the wind out of people’s sails. Encouragement puts it back.
I once worked under a leader who drained the life out of every difficult moment. When we were tired, discouraged or doubtful, he was the last person we wanted to see — because he always left us feeling smaller than before.
How do your team members see you?
- Are you a “Filler-of-Sails” — someone who enlarges, lifts and energizes people?
- Or a “Sucker” — someone who unintentionally drains confidence and hope?
Strive to be the leader people seek out when they’re overwhelmed. Be the presence that steadies them, emboldens them, and sends them back into the mission more confident than they arrived.
3. Don’t Overuse Fear as a Motivator.
Fear works — in the short run. It speeds people up, narrows their focus and produces quick compliance.
But here’s the trap: the more you use fear, the less it works. People become numb to it, cynical about it or resentful of it. Worse, fear-driven teams may become productive, but they never become healthy — and they never stay productive for long.
Use inspiration, clarity, trust and encouragement as your primary tools. Save fear for genuine emergencies — and even then, use it sparingly.
When you remove fear and cultivate courage, you give your team the freedom to take risks, innovate boldly, support one another wholeheartedly and step fully into the mission.
