Tag: Fear
Deming’s Long Shadow: Twenty Years of Conversations
Mike Stoecklein recalls a story secondhand. It was, he thinks, at one of the last four-day seminars W. Edwards Deming ever gave. Deming was...
You Can’t Punish Your Way to Pride: Deming, Toyota, and Learning...
Fear Drives Compliance -- Respect Builds Pride, Learning, and Improvement
TL;DR: Don Ephlin once wrote, "You can't punish your way to pride." That insight still...
Ghosts, Zombies, and Frankenstein Processes: A Lean Halloween Reflection
tl;dr: Halloween might be about ghosts, zombies, and monsters -- but those same creatures sometimes show up in our organizations all year long. They...
Fear and Futility: Why People Don’t Speak Up–and How Lean Leaders...
Fear and futility are two of the biggest barriers to continuous improvement. When people are afraid to speak up--or believe nothing will change--problems stay...
Why ‘Red Isn’t Bad’ Is the Wrong Mindset for Performance Metrics
TL;DR: Red metrics aren't "good," but they shouldn't trigger blame or panic either. The real problem isn't red--it's leaders getting mad instead of curious....
Kakorrhaphiophobia: Why Fear of Failure at Work Is Often Rational
TL;DR: Lean only works when people feel safe to speak up. Toyota shows that psychological safety isn't a "soft" concept--it's created through consistent leadership...
Halloween, Dr. Deming, and Eliminating the Fear Factor at Work
As we celebrate Halloween--a season for all things spooky--it's a good time to reflect on a different kind of fear that can haunt our...
LinkedIn Poll on Barriers to Speaking Up: Fear and Futility
Research by Ethan Burris shows that the top two reasons employees choose to keep quiet in the workplace are:1️⃣ Futility2️⃣ FearFear of getting in...
Amy Edmondson on Psychological Safety: What It Is, Why Fear Persists,...
TL;DR: Psychological safety is a shared belief that you can raise concerns, admit mistakes, ask questions, or offer ideas without fear of blame or...
When Doctors and Nurses are Afraid to Speak Up About ...
tl;dr: When doctors and nurses are afraid to speak up about safety risks, problems stay hidden and patients are harmed. Real cases from the...
The “Smart Loves Problems” TV Ad — But What Does Fear...
This ad caught my attention while watching a little bit of Monday Night Football this week.
It's an IBM ad titled "Smart Loves Problems."
The ad's...
Robert Maurer on Mastering Fear, Deming, and Motivational Interviewing
Why do people fear change? Why are adults afraid of talking about their fears? My guest today is eminently qualified to answer such questions and to provide advice that can help us. My guest for Episode #315 is Robert Maurer, Ph.D., author of the outstanding book Mastering Fear.
Bob was previously my guest for Episode #153, where we discussed one of his earlier books on Kaizen, One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way. By the way, earlier this year I noticed that his other book The Spirit of Kaizen was one of the few books by an American author that Toyota was selling at the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya (see photo below).
I hope you enjoy today's discussion on Mastering Fear. As the subtitle says, can we "harness emotion to achieve excellence in health, work, and relationships"?















