By Dr. Gabriele Lang
A mother of two arrives at a small hospital in pain. Doctors correctly diagnose an aortic rupture: a life-threatening condition. Yet, the hospital lacks a specialist team. One nearby clinic has the expertise but no ICU bed; another has a bed but no surgical team available. By the time both align, it’s too late. She dies despite the right diagnosis, committed professionals, and available competence; simply because collaboration and systems failed. This tragedy mirrors what happens daily in business. The knowledge is there, the talent is there but decisions stall because fear outweighs action.
Fear in the System
In many workplaces, people hesitate to act. Fear of breaking protocol, fear of blame, fear of failure. And fear, left unchecked, drains creativity and courage, the very qualities that fuel leadership.
How often do women in leadership positions silence their intuition because “it’s not how we do things”?
How often do teams wait for permission instead of taking responsibility?
Fear may not kill lives in business but it kills ideas, progress, and trust.
In a rule-bound culture, those who act creatively risk being labelled rebellious. Those who take responsibility risk being blamed. Yet courage often means stepping outside the rulebook for the greater good. Imagine if that medical team had said, “We operate now and find the bed later.” Would it have been reckless or brave?
The Power of Psychological Safety
The cornerstone of any high-performing team is psychological safety: the belief that you can speak up, question, or even fail without being punished. Research consistently shows that teams with psychological safety outperform others in innovation, collaboration, and resilience. They make faster, smarter decisions because they are not afraid to voice concern or challenge ideas. As women leaders, creating such an environment is not optional, it’s essential. It means replacing fear with trust, perfectionism with curiosity, and hierarchy with empathy.
What Really Drains Us
Most professionals don’t burn out because of workload, they burn out from friction: unresolved conflicts, miscommunication, and emotional tension. When we ignore emotions in business, we lose energy and connection. When we acknowledge them, we gain insight and collaboration. Conflict is not the enemy, avoidance is. Over two decades as a psychologist, I’ve learned that tension and friction are opportunities for growth. What matters is whether we suppress them or use them as catalysts for clarity and progress. Today, leadership requires more than expertise. It demands emotional intelligence:
- Recognizing and regulating your emotions
- Owning weaknesses without shame
- Showing empathy under stress
- Communicating clearly and respectfully
These aren’t soft skills — they’re power skills. Trainable, measurable, and transformational. Leaders who embody them make better decisions and build teams that thrive even under pressure.
Ready to Reflect?
If you’d like to understand how you react under stress, take the free Stress-Type Check from UP’N’CHANGE:
A small step can change the way you lead, decide, and connect. Because while not every decision is about life and death, every one of them shapes the future of your team, your business, and yourself.
