Fear is a part of life. Each of us has fears and phobias of one form or another and face them every day. Of course, we are able to smile much of the day – but whether it’s the economy, your boss, or picking up the telephone for your next call, we’re also dealing with and processing fear for a substantial amount of time that could be focused on our purpose and productivity.

What can we do to recognize our fears, put them in the proper place, create solutions for what scares us most, and even use it as career–boosting fuel? In his book “Face It” (Amacom, 2004), performance consultant Art Horn provides us with six character types as they pertain to dealing with fear.Where you put yourself into this mix will help you move beyond the same hackneyed patterns that you have been playing out.

As you are reflecting on this information, ask yourself: Is this me?These are archetypes, and you may not fall squarely into one category.In one situation, you may see that you embody the thought patterns and habits of the Faker, and in another situation you may begin to realize that you are a Controller.You don’t need to judge yourself; simply recognize the habits and their (possible) origins, and use the Action Steps at the end of this article as a springboard for letting them go. By doing this, you will find that more choices open up for you as a leader and successful communicator, both at work and in life!

The Controller

Controllers tend to accomplish goals. Unfortunately, it is at the expense of professional relationships, because their motivation is a desire to be in command of all areas.They feel tremendous stress when faced with a situation they can’t control. Controllers tend to live with the irrational perception that no one around them can get done what must be done.This is perceived as patronizing by others and conveys a lack of belief in the team, coworkers or subordinates. It leads to constant and inevitable conflict.

The Fake

Horn describes the fake as “like boiler-room operations selling penny stocks that they know have no future.” Everyone sells themselves on something that they know is false, at least in some part. This builds a fear of being alienated from oneself.The Fake goes through the day feeling inadequate and undeserving of respect. This feeling is unconsciously conveyed to others and results in less buy–in from team members or customers.After all, who is going to follow someone who clearly doesn’t believe in themselves?

The Attention Seeker

We all know one.This character will work hard to make others take notice, and actively looks to be judged – though they may be oversensitive to the judgment given. They tend to give the appearance of being well–connected and act as if they are concentrating, but in truth they are formulating new ways to draw attention to themselves – to the detriment of the project at hand.

The Prisoner

This character harbors resentment, anger, guilt, and other assorted personal baggage. Prisoners can be seen complaining about being trapped in their jobs, and they tend to catastrophize when they fail to capitalize on opportunities. We all have these feelings, but Prisoners can be over-anxious, have trouble sleeping, and feel more tension than normal. The Prisoner feels powerless in their situation, which leads to passive–aggressive behavior.

The Worrier

The worrier expects something unfortunate to happen, disrupting productivity and leading to dissatisfaction in their professional and personal lives. This character type feels as though something is missing when they are not worried or scared, so they feel anxiety when faced with a situation that doesn’t call for worrying.The Worrier is comforted by this toxic thought pattern and a fear of success is often toggled with their worry. What a combination!

The Victim

Victims tend to attribute their problems externally. Rather than saying, "I failed to avoid this mess," victims say, "Responsibility for this mess cannot be attributed to me." The focus and subsequent effort is put squarely on avoiding any potential blame. Any time spent on blame (especially blaming others) is wasted energy that should be spent on finding solutions and moving ahead.

By dealing with fears head on, we can more quickly and effectively develop productive, positive behaviors. Increasing self–acceptance, reducing the fear of failure, taking responsibility, and improving our confidence can reduce the emotions that attach themselves to fear and help us aspire to transcendent performance.