Good leaders have the cojones

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Everyone sometimes feels fear, especially when under pressure. If you are a leader, however, you should be careful not to let fear affect your decision-making in a way that would harm the whole team or organisation. Fear weakens logical thinking and leads to our taking non-systematic steps. So if you want to be a good leader, you should eliminate the following types of fear which were highlighted by Entrepreneur.com.

1. Fear of making bad decisions

Leaders must constantly make decisions. That may, however, eventually cause decision fatigue, which is a recognised psychological condition. It involves a growing fear that your subsequent decisions will be wrong and leads to postponing decisions. Therefore you should remember that it is always better to make a bad decision than not to make any at all.

2. Fear of criticism

Every leader has their own style which may not suit everyone. This, however, does not mean you should adapt your approach and try to be the type of leader you think others want. First of all, be yourself and stick to your vision. There will always be somebody ready to criticise you.

3. Fear of public speaking

This fear affects a lot of people in different fields. A leader who wants to have authority, however, must be able to speak publicly. You don't have to worry: it's a matter of training. Thoroughly prepare for your performances but also remind yourself that you are only human and thus may make a mistake.

4. Fear of responsibility

Decision-making entails responsibility for the consequences of decisions. However, nobody can win all the time. Sometimes you will simply fail. Don't judge yourself only based on the consequences of your decisions. Think also about the goals you were trying to reach by your decisions.

5. Fear of total failure

It may happen that your project fails and you and your team will lose your jobs. This, however, does not mean you should not try to succeed. It is not the end of the world either. You can always learn from your failures and move on towards future success.

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Article source Entrepreneur.com - website of a leading U.S. magazine for entrepreneurs
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