All too often business leaders are making decisions based on unexamined fears, rather than really leaning into those worries and thinking them through. A 2023 survey of global business leaders suggests that a number of mistakes surface again and again. Three in particular top the list:
- Avoidance, inaction or not making an important decision, due to fear of making mistakes
- Overcontrolling, micromanaging or not empowering their teammates, due to a fear that they might make mistakes
- Withholding feedback, not sharing their honest opinions or not pushing back on bad ideas, due a fear of conflict or political backlash
Sound familiar? And yet in order to change, grow, and navigate the endless obstacles facing businesses today, you have to take risks, you have to empower people, and you have to speak your mind honestly. Otherwise, you’ve got no chance.
It’s no wonder that 70% of all business transformation initiatives fail, according to McKinsey, with fear playing the largest role in that failure rate.
But that’s not to say that fear is the enemy. The truth is, fear is a teacher—and learning to listen to it can help you beat the odds and succeed where others fail.
The power of fear
Fear is a wonderful evolutionary gift that’s greatly misunderstood, an emotion meant to protect us. If a shark is chasing you, fear motivates you to swim faster or punch the shark hard on the nose. This is fear at its most useful, its most rational.
Irrational fear, however, is less helpful. For example, you might be worried about how to find the right product market fit, which is a very rational thing to be concerned about. But if that concern leads you subconsciously to shut down, withhold information, or not voice your concerns because of a fear of retribution, that makes no sense. Your company will fail if you don’t speak up. In this context, fear can lead to unintentional decisions that actually make things worse. Irrational fears, left unexplored, can be detrimental to every aspect of our lives, personal and professional.
But when we look at how fear actually works, we see that it’s not about conquering fear. In fact, we can’t conquer it. We have a fear center—our amygdala—wired into our brains. Like it or not, it has an impact on our perceptions and decisions.
The key is to understand the impact that fear has on us, stay intentional with how we respond to it, and listen to what fear is trying to show us. When we learn to listen to it, we find that many times, fear is actually our greatest teacher.
That’s the key to not letting fear lead to paralysis, micromanaging, or not speaking up when it’s important.
Let’s look at how three common fears—which are increasingly prevalent in our modern work environment—may actually be inviting us to take a closer look at our decisions and overcome the real cultural challenges that prevent businesses from adapting and thriving.
FOMO: Fear of missing out
Unexplored, FOMO leads to premature decisions without considering the consequences. Take AI, for example. In the race to adopt AI, too many companies moved too quickly without thinking things through. In fact, a recent global study of C-suite executives found that more than half regretted firing people prematurely due to unrealistic expectations around AI. These leaders focused too much on not wanting to lose out on AI, as opposed to staying focused on their purpose and their mission. All too often, FOMO creates a minefield of unintended consequences.
FOMO is an excellent reminder to make sure you’re not missing out on what matters. It’s a chance to reconnect to your core purpose, your true north, and your why. AI is a tool; it’s a how. Don’t make your decisions based on anxiety levels. Make them based on what you really care about.
FOFU: Fear of F-ing up
On the other end of the spectrum, FOFU can lead to analysis paralysis, procrastination, and a catastrophic loss of early-mover advantage, if left unexplored. In fact, a 2023 survey of more than 14,000 employees and leaders across 17 countries reported that being inundated with too much data and information is leading to an epidemic of indecision. In that study:
- 74% said the number of decisions they make every day has increased tenfold over the last three years
- 86% said the volume of data is making decisions in their professional (and personal) lives much more complicated
- 59% admitted they faced analysis paralysis more than once every single day
- And 85% said this inability to make decisions is having a negative impact on their quality of life. That causes spikes in anxiety (36%), missed opportunities (33%), and unnecessary spending (29%).
When you feel FOFU paralyzing you, and you feel that spike in anxiety, pause. Breathe. Get curious, and ask yourself what you’re really afraid of. Explore the consequences of doing nothing. Challenge the nightmare scenarios and stories you may be telling yourself. And seek the help of others around you to think things through clearly.
FOBI: Fear of being inadequate
This is one of the most prevalent fears. Unexplored, FOBI leads to micromanaging, exaggerating and “accidental narcissism,” or focusing more on optics than outcomes. Maybe you have an important quarterly business review coming up, and there are unpleasant realities to talk about. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, but are afraid to ask for help. Or maybe you’re just not sure about your company’s overall strategy and vision, but are suffering from impostor syndrome and feel too scared to say anything.
The truth is, fear of inadequacy in the workplace is a lot more common than people realize–probably because we’re so afraid to talk about it. In fact, one 2025 study found that 71% of North American workers reported suffering from impostor syndrome, with half stating it had caused them to miss or turn down opportunities.
When you notice your energy focused on yourself and feel like you might be shutting down, that’s your cue to lean into the fear to see what it’s trying to get your attention about.
FOBI is asking you to make a conscious decision about what matters more—your insecurity or your impact. It’s giving you the opportunity to choose to rise to the occasion, because the moment matters more than the risk of looking stupid. Whenever I feel nervous about a big moment—like writing my first book, or giving an important speech—I remind myself that my why is bigger than I. It’s a powerful mantra, and an important reminder of the power of purpose.
Our fears are not designed to defeat us. They’re actually asking for our attention—to orient us to what matters most. And the leaders who succeed are the ones who learn to listen to their fears, rather than run from them.
Adapted from Unmasking Fear: How Fears Are Our Gateways to Freedom (Health Communications Inc; August 2025).
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