Are Feared Leaders Actually Fearful Leaders?

Machiavelli wrote that, “It is better to be feared than loved (if you cannot be both),” an assertion that has not stood the test of time. Nowadays, effective leaders encourage their followers to challenge them. It is only a few leaders (mostly dictators) who try to rule through fear. Unfortunately, and somewhat ironically, many leaders are themselves ruled by fear. Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones, in their exemplary article for the Harvard Business Review, wrote that nothing terrifies executives more than the question, “Why should anyone be led by you?” 

The Fearful Leader

Many leaders, far more than you might suspect, suffer from the imposter schyndrome. The short explanation of this phenomena is that leaders (and other successful people) often feel they are a fraud. They believe they have somehow lucked into a higher position than they deserve, and that it is only a matter of time before they are exposed, disgraced and cast out. These leaders fear that their incompetence will be discovered, and their attempts to compensate for whatever they feel they lack, hinders their ability to effectively lead.

The Effects of Fear on Leadership

Fear manifests itself in the form of problematic behaviours in leadership performance. A typical, and very common, example of this behaviour is micromanagement. To be more effective, a leader must:

• Recognize the behaviours that are not working.
• Acknowledge the fear behind it (fear of being a fraud).
• Decide to make changes to behaviour and thinking if necessary.

Recognizing Fear: The Practical First Step in Becoming a More Effective Leader

Uncovering the roots of fear is not a necessary part of accepting it. All that matters is that fear is recognized and acknowledged — and this takes a commitment to being honest with one’s self. This is much more effective when it is done out loud. Speaking out loud can surprise us when we hear what we did not know we knew. This also applies to strengths. Many an executive I have coached has only recognized their intelligence after hearing themselves speak about it. Once fear is recognized, we can work on altering behaviour. Often when a person is afraid, they fall back on old patterns of behaviour that once worked. By recognizing when we are afraid, we can step back and choose to act differently.

Fear is one of the most primal of human emotions. It is a part of all of us, and it often serves a useful purpose. However, it can lead to behaviours that do not serve our goals.