What if We Took the Double-Fault Out of the Workplace?

In a recent game of doubles tennis, I was completely elated to hear women – women who are far stronger players than I, with fierce serves and twisted spins – agree that there would be no such thing as a double-fault in today’s game.

As the first server, I was sure I didn’t hear this correctly. I repeated the new rule and one of the ladies laughed, “Bonnie, you should see your face!”

I’m guessing I had the look of joy, combined with complete disbelief at this wild idea that could be a real game-changer for me! What freedom to know that I could not mess up my serve. It would be impossible. That pressure was off. And it was my opponents’ idea!

I felt my shoulders relax as I tossed the ball in the air and raised my racket. The serve was good. Better than good. And there were more of them. And no one double-faulted anyway, through the entire 90 minutes of play. So, I started to wonder, “What if we take the double-fault out of the work environment?”

What if we were no longer afraid we’d oversleep, miss a deadline or lose our place in the middle of a presentation? It’s not as if these things can’t happen, it’s just that we’re no longer afraid of them. We’re not even thinking about what could go wrong. No! We’re thinking about how good right could be!

And that’s the magic of the no double-fault system. We are free to go for it, to give it our best again and again, with all our might. And that’s a whole different game.

According to Giant Leap Consulting, “No other emotion has as much of an obliterating effect on performance as fear. Despite that fact, fear flourishes in workplace settings.”

The business leadership consulting firm points out that fear is omnipresent: fear of failure, fear of disappointing the boss, fear of losing the job. Yet, “in many workplaces, fear, sadly is the preferred method that leaders use to motivate people to do things.”

Giant Leap discusses how time-reporting systems, random drug testing and software that can monitor employee emails send the message that workers can’t be trusted, instilling fear and anxiety because “we are watching you.” Somehow, that is supposed to make us perform better.

“While fear may temporarily motivate workers to toil harder, faster or longer, it also shuts down their willingness to take the necessary risks that innovation, new product development and sales, for example, require. Fear clams workers up.”

Who wouldn’t be nervous and have a constant stomachache while repeatedly turning in uptight, uninspired, no coloring-outside-the-lines kind of work while being hamstrung in a fear-laden work environment?

If that’s the kind of game you’re playing, I would expect that you are not set up for aces and wins. I’m here to tell you, life is better in the no double-fault zone. From what I’ve seen, people there are performing well and having fun doing it. FBN

By Bonnie Stevens, FBN

Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.