Your Inner CEO: Corporate Fear

Faced with a charging lion or a maxed out charge card, two people may both feel fear. But the courageous individual takes on the challenge, while the other does nothing. The choice is yours, whether it's in lion country or a conference room.

In order to first control and then overcome fear, an effective CEO has to learn what fear really is. The complicating factor, however, is that fear exists in many different forms. In biomechanical terms, fear is a collection of hormonal responses released by the brain. Once these hormones disperse throughout the body, they begin to trigger defensive mechanisms such as raising adrenaline and cortisol levels, and increasing heart rate and respiration. This is the so-called "fight-or-flight" response. These symptoms are meant to stay active for only a few seconds or minutes, which is just enough time for a person to react to the object of his fear.

But what happens when that object of fear isn’t real? What if it's simply a situation created by your imagination? For many people, the high levels of adrenaline and increased respiratory rates remain in the body for longer periods, adding more stress and consequently making the body experience "burnout" and total exhaustion.

Once you understand what your fears are as a biological phenomena, the next step is to become consciously aware their presence in a rational rather than an emotional way. You can do this in the form of a “thought experiment.” When you start feeling anxious, take a moment in which you step back to say to yourself, "It's beginning. I'm becoming afraid." By acknowledging fear and keeping company with it, you will eventually learn to master it.

Mastering fear does not mean destroying it. No one can ever completely destroy fear, nor is it necessary to do so. Fear will still be part of who you are whether you like it or not. But to help you reach an accommodation with this part of yourself, here are a few practical steps you can follow:

>> Get up and out: Many people have panic attacks early in the morning while they're still in bed. So get up and get moving. Get the morning paper, turn on the TV and notice that life goes on around you. Get dressed and go outside. See that there is life and action around you at all times. It puts your inner life into the correct perspective.

>> Exercise: Get moving enough to get the blood flowing. Do some sit-ups, push-ups, lift weights and walk the dog a few blocks. Exercise replaces "fear hormones" in your body with neurochemicals that promote strength and power for longer periods of time.

>> Play some music: Turn on the iPod. It’s a great way to calm yourself down.

>> Live in the here-and-now: Certain words and phrases can help you detach from negative thoughts; "Relax…” “There's no problem…” “I’m in control…”  Saying this aloud will force you to concentrate on the tasks at hand and sway your mind from focusing on things in the future that may never occur.

>> Think positive: Reviewing a past success, particularly before a presentation or a meeting with your boss, is an excellent way to eradicate the butterflies. You’re instantly reminded that you've achieved great things before, and there's no reason why you shouldn't achieve them again.

>> Food and fear: Eat something light and simple, like toast with orange juice. It's hard to be afraid when you’re eating, and it's especially hard to be in fear when the sugar and other nutrients from whatever you are eating enter your bloodstream.

>> Talk to yourself: Remind yourself that you are the master of your own body and your own mind. Never become a slave to your own fears, especially when they begin to hurt others like your family or friends.

>> Get plenty of rest. It's almost impossible to feel secure when you're exhausted or frightened.