The Litany Against Fear
A Leadership Lesson from Dune
As soon as you accept the role of a leader, you become responsible not only for yourself but for the people around you. This level of responsibility often leads to different manifestations of fear, which can be particularly challenging for leaders to navigate.
Leaders often fear the unknown and the uncontrollable. Their minds race with questions that cannot be easily answered. What if the team misses its goals for the month? What if that crucial investor fails to come through? The whirlwind of fear can be paralyzing, impacting not only the leader but the entire organization.
A Lesson from Arrakis
It is at times like these when I reflect on one of my favorite books of all time: Frank Herbert's Dune. While Dune may seem like an unlikely source of leadership inspiration, it is actually a treasure trove of insight.
One section, in particular, comes to mind frequently: The Litany Against Fear. In the novel, the protagonist Paul Atreides often repeats the following to himself in times of trouble.
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
"Fear is the mind-killer."
Pervasive and persistent fear is the mind-killer, in the most literal sense of the term. It triggers the mind's fight or flight response, increasing heart rate, speeding breathing, tightening muscles, and flooding the system with adrenaline.
This response is perfectly healthy and reasonable if facing a physical threat. It has played a key role in helping keep humans alive since the dawn of humankind. Unfortunately, while our society has evolved, our biology has not. The fear of losing an investor or missing targets is totally different from the fear of physical harm. However, our body responds the same to each situation. Over time, this prolonged fight or flight response diminishes the mind's ability to process stressful situations. Fear, or at least our mind's response to fear, is truly a killer.
"I will face my fear."
So how does a leader manage this biological response effectively? The answer lies in Herbert's "litany of fear."
The first step is to acknowledge the fear-inducing situation and embrace it. By understanding, accepting, and allowing the fear to pass through, leaders can rob it of its power.
When faced with fear, effective leaders don't run from it. Instead, they accept it for what it is. In doing so, it is possible to disrupt the traditional fight or flight response. By consciously facing fear, leaders can become calmer, both physically and mentally, setting a powerful example for their teams.
"Where the fear has gone there will be nothing."
Leaders are often their own worst enemies, allowing emotions to drive their thinking and influence their actions. Eliminating the emotion surrounding the things they fear is key to moving forward.
When leaders allow fear to get the best of them, it influences their mood, which in turn spreads to the rest of the team. When fearful of a given situation, a leader's response can make the situation worse instead of providing a resolution.
Fortunately, by facing fear head-on, the facts of the situation become clearer. Leaders can identify the things they can control and those they cannot. By letting go of the things that are out of their control, leaders free themselves up to focus on what is possible.
"Only I will remain."
Once a leader is in control of their own response to a situation, real or imagined, it becomes easier to find a path forward. The only thing that will remain is the leader, free of fear and ready to take action.
Leaders who have mastered this ability often demonstrate grace under fire. They're cool, calm, and collected in even the most challenging scenarios. Their serenity and control in the face of fear build confidence in those around them and can rally teams to achieve great things.
In short, mastering the mind's response to fear equips leaders with a grace and countenance that leads to positive action. Fear is something that every leader will encounter over the course of their journey, sometimes more frequently than they would like. If left unchecked, it truly becomes a mind killer, robbing individuals of their health, happiness, and ability to solve problems.
When leaders find themselves in such a situation, remembering the litany against fear can help control the involuntary biological responses to fear and provide the perspective needed to move forward. By embracing this mindset, leaders can navigate the challenges they face more effectively, inspiring their teams and driving their organizations to success.
So, embrace your inner Kwisatz Haderach. Just don’t launch a Fremen Jihad across the known universe….okay?