It is a classic line about business coaches and mentors that they are supposed to be good listeners and possess an ability to empathise. They do not have to be an expert.

A lesser known side about coaching is the need to ask difficult questions – not just about the business itself, but also regarding character issues that impact on overall performance in the commercial workplace. For example, a common problem I come across is that people are genuinely ‘afraid of success’.

Here is a typical case scenario of what I mean:

I will ask a CEO what it is that they need to make their business grow. At this point, they confidently list of a number of standard generalities that could apply to any operation, anywhere in the world. When I demand specifics, the verbal wheels start to grind to a halt. For all their knowledge and experience, they seem unable to state how to make their company stand out above the rest.

Drill down, and you begin to realize that they are literally afraid of achieving something important for themselves. It is a barrier. Who put it there and why? Well, there are a multitude of reasons. For some of my clients, they have simply taken the concept of modesty too far. “It is a bad thing to stand out”, they were taught by all when they were young.

What interests me more is how to overcome the fear factor. My son has recently swam with sharks and sting rays.  However, in preparing for a bunjee jump, he was scared. He simply looked down, stared at the vast space below him, laughed at it, and let go.

His father, this writer, was not thrilled. And yet, I hate heights. I am writing this from Northern Italy, where cable cars zoom around like underground trains in London. I have forced myself to take several overhead rides, and guess what? They are some of the most peaceful, serene few minutes I have experienced in the past few years. Fear gone.

Yes, not everyone can just ‘get over their issue. It may not be that simple. But for most of us,  where does this live my clients, strategic leaders and managers?

Worries, concerns and fears are often installed inside us, when we do not realise it and for no good reason. My responsibility, as a business coach, is help others recognise these blockages for what they are; irrelevant mental rubbish.