Mastering a skill or rising to any challenge often requires some form of fear-conquering. Being a leader is no different. Under a steady pressure of accountability and responsibility, fear carries with it a host of conflicting feelings and emotions. Richard Soo, Chief Guru @ Creative Marketing of Meeting & Exhibition Planners (MEP) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) reveals to us how fear affects him and how to overcome and manage it as a creative leader.
When we perceive the world through a lens of fear, we may assume the worst of others, become uncertain of the people to trust and may even hurt others in the process. In times such as these, Soo cites reminders for self-reflection and surrounding ourselves with people we can communicate with openly as some of the key approaches to building mutual support to overcome fear in the workplace.
Fear is a common but counterproductive response to uncertainty. When fear dominates, the creative brain shuts down. To restore mental balance and fitness, Soo believes, “You need to sit down and be quiet with yourself. Only after your mind settles can you look at the chaos from the outside rather than being in the middle of it all.”
This conversation was recorded on Thursday, 22 October 2020, the week Kuala Lumpur went into a second lockdown. Soo made time to speak with us despite managing unexpected changes at work caused by the last-minute lockdown announcement. Watch the full conversation in the video below.
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