Managing The Tension Between Safety And Performance

The Unified Team

Life exists in tension.

Everything we do, is done along a spectrum of tension.

Conflicting goals create tension. Leadership is about managing those tensions.

Managers want to create a psychologically safe environment.

Yet, there is a natural tension with the fear of failure and not performing. When you give a speech, prepare a bid or create something it could fail. That fear is at the root of what drives us to perform.

Some of the greatest sportsmen have spoken about the fears that drive them to success.

Managers don't create this fear, but they have to manage the tension. At the end of the day we go to work to perform. And if we don't perform jobs are lost and companies fail.

So Leaders can't remove the fear completely or they lose the tension to perform.

You create the safest environment you can. You give people the confidence, competence and connection to take risks. But you cannot protect them from the reality of results.

In the end, we have to perform and that determines our results and career success.

And that is scary for all of us. But that's life. From the Savannah to the boardroom.

Today's podcast episode talks about managing this tension to get your team to perform with...

Clark Ray

Thomas Courts

Tony Walmsley - Performance Specialist