Page 34 - Fearless Leadership

What It Means to Be a Fearless Leader 21

Your focus will be on what is missing, what you do not have, and what is
defective, inadequate, or insufficient. Therefore, your solutions will also
focus on “fixing” people, systems, and processes.
When your purpose is to unleash the commitment of people, you bring
compassion and heartfelt understanding. You seek to understand how peo-
ple have become resigned, and you gain an appreciation for the depth of
their caring and commitment. You grasp that people truly want to give you
the best they have but they do not know how to do this.
The automatic response to people when they are resigned is “You
shouldn’t feel this way” or “You need to get over this.” But when you under-
stand that resignation is a frustrated commitment, you can appreciate and
care for people in a new way. When others know that you understand their
disappointment and struggle, they give you their emotional commitment.
With this, you can create a powerful and inspiring platform to help peo-
ple renew their confidence and enthusiasm.
Unleashing the commitment of people sets the framework for transfor-
mation. Leaders who have the view that people are inadequate, insuffi-
cient, or not committed commonly display emotions of disappointment,
anger, and frustration. It is hard for anyone to be inspired by these emo-
tions, including the leaders.
If you start with the belief that you already have committed people, you
will avoid the common pitfall of acting as if something is missing. When
you unleash the commitment of people, you have everything you need.
The power of your change effort comes from believing in people and help-
ing them feel reenergized, emotionally connected, and passionate about
shaping the future.
To build a positive platform for change, your focus must shift from fix-
ing people to empowering them. To do that, people need to know you
believe in them. The only way to convey your belief in them is to com-
municate with them authentically. They will view anything less than that
as dishonest or false, and you will lose credibility and trust.
You are ready to pursue fearless leadership if you believe

• People have an inner need to do their best.
• People want to have a purpose, not just a job.
• People want to be fully engaged.