Anxiety in a New Role | 120 Seconds to Better Leadership

*Video Transcription*

Hi this is Emily Bermes with 120 seconds to better leadership. I’m in downtown Chicago today assimilating a new officer into her role. I’ve actually worked with her before. I assimilated her into her last role about 15 months ago, and unfortunately, she killed it, so she was rewarded with another promotion. I don’t think she was quite ready for that, so of course she’s nervous and you can’t blame her.

Feeling Anxious About a New Opportunity is Natural

Here’s what I want people to know. Anytime you’re facing something new, whether that’s a new good new thing, or a bad new thing, both are going to make you feel anxious. They are going to make you feel anxious because whenever we go from the known to the unknown we’re naturally afraid. At least most of us are.  

You’re Not the Only One

What I also want you to know if you’re someone who feels anxious and fearful about failure in a new opportunity is that the highest performing executives tend to be anxious people. So, the highest performing executives actually tend to share those feelings with you. Surprisingly, it’s the lower performers that have all the confidence in the world.

So, if you’re worried about a new opportunity that you have, stay worried. It’s just a good sign that you’ll be successful. And again, it’s the people that don’t worry that probably ought to.

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