Breaking the Fear Barrier

Tom Rieger

ISBN 10: 1595620540 / ISBN 13: 9781595620545

Published by Gallup Press, US, 2011

About this Item

The greatest threat to an organization's success is not always the competition. Often, it is what a company does to itself. Because of fear, companies become plagued with barriers and bureaucracy that limit success, crush employees, and infuse frustration and a sense of futility across the enterprise. It starts with a narrowing of focus, which leads to the first level of bureaucracy: parochialism. Parochialism exists when departments begin to view the world through the filter of their own little silo. As businesses grow, the second level of bureaucracy is reached: territorialism. Territorialism is about controlling those inside the silo. The third and final level of bureaucracy is empire building, which is a response to perceived threats to a department's ability to be self-sufficient. These barriers cost organizations a fortune in inefficiency, turnover, waste, and demoralization. Tearing down these barriers is difficult, but it can be done. Parochialism can be eliminated by resetting rules and policies and refocusing on the ultimate mission of the organization. Territorialism can be eliminated by creating true empowerment. Empire building can be addressed through shared goals and a set of guiding principles that help act as a referee in decision making. By doing all these things, an organization can become fearless and unstoppable.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781595620545

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Breaking the Fear Barrier
• Publisher: Gallup Press, US
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1595620540
• ISBN 13: 9781595620545
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 361 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A company’s worst enemy is not always the competition. Sometimes it’s the fear that lives within its own walls.

In companies, fear can take many forms: fear of not meeting a goal, of not getting a bonus, of losing decision rights and respect. Fear compels employees and managers to protect themselves by creating seemingly impenetrable barriers fortified by rules and practices that benefit one group while harming others.

Sound familiar?

If so, then you know that left unchecked, fear-driven barriers can spread at an alarming rate in a company. Workgroups start to define success not by reaching the company’s overall goal, but by fulfilling their part of the process. Restrictive policies pile up until managers start to exert extreme control over headcount and resources. Other managers feel compelled to build empires — taking over other departments’ functions to regain or enhance their self-sufficiency. In the midst of these counterproductive activities, employees suffer, success deteriorates and efficiency dies.

While these barriers might seem insurmountable, they are not. They were built internally, and they can be destroyed internally.

By learning from the real-world lessons in this book, leaders, managers and employees can overcome the barriers that plague their company. It takes courageous leadership, and it can be difficult, but the result will be nothing less than transformational.

About the Author

Tom Rieger is a former Gallup employee. He is an expert in identifying and correcting barriers to success, both for companies and societies. Rieger has built a number of frameworks that apply behavioral economic principles to a variety of complex problems, across boardrooms and battlefields. Tom received an MS in Industrial Administration from Carnegie Mellon in 1986.