Fierce is a great word, it has long been known to mean aggressive and has some negative connotations. We often think of wild animals like this wolf snarling and snapping as something fierce. In people we often see fierceness as a sign of over confidence and dominating behaviour, something that cannot be tamed.
I believe it can be tamed and harnessed however, and having an element of fierceness can potentially be a good thing, unlocking potential and releasing confidence. It can help channel a focus and help to reach an outcome or goal that perhaps has previously not been completed or seen as achievable. We know that in the last month many people (maybe you?) might have embarked on some sort of New Year’s Resolution and like a many (maybe you?), often fail early on, despite the great intention that might have been behind it. It could be that they (maybe you?) lack a certain and specific ferocity that is required to succeed.
Fierceness in action
Very recently whilst working with different people I have noticed a glint of something that each has in common. I was watching a personal trainer friend of mine in the gym with his client. He gets a look in his eyes and then goes into a zone with his clients, and ensures that the only focus he has is that client right there and then. Indeed, when he works out he often shuts himself off by putting his hood up to block out any distractions, such is his focus. He gets a somewhat feral look about him too, which clearly says, “Back off I am concentrating”.
This feral look is fierce and I see it in sales people too, the clear hunt for the sale keeps them on target, the great sales people have an outcome in mind, of helping their clients achieve something that in turn helps them to get the sale.
Managers who truly understand and are in touch with their team, demonstrate a fierceness that is almost akin to wolves looking out for their pack, this fierceness helps to keep the team together and working towards the achievement of tasks whilst also taking into account individual strengths and limitations.
So what can you do to be fiercer?
Drive, determination and focus are all important and when we break things down a bit, it is possible to program ourselves keep going, to not lose our way and certainly not to fail.
F.I.E.R.C.E. Six steps to leave you mark.
Step One – F
A full on focus will facilitate fierceness. Think about what the outcome is, or the goal, or the task, or the target. Break it down into chunks that make it possible for you to start things in the right way. So if you have a target of losing weight, don’t think about the overall weight, focus on what will give you an immediate win, such as the first session, the first day, the first change, if you have a large sales target, break it down into the number of days you have to deliver it in, and if needed by the hour. Bite sized ‘chunks’ that are easy to focus on. Think about this, a shark can smell a tiny drop of blood in the water from over a mile away. Just by focusing on this tiny drop allows the shark to reach the bigger goal.
Step Two – I
Intensity & Integrity. Once you have your ‘chunk’ to focus on, make your focus a laser like intensity, stay on it, zone in on it, record any wins along the way. Remember that at all times you must be working towards your ‘chunk’ keep your levels of integrity at their highest, be gracious with people, yet ruthless with your time. By doing this, things remain clear and in reach, resulting in you doing the right thing in the right way at the right time.
Step 3 – E
Energise Emotions for Endurance. As you start it can be easy to lose momentum and become distracted, leaving you with a feeling of ‘falling at the first hurdle’ or worse ‘failing’ altogether. By having a high focus and intensity on your ‘chunks’ means your momentum will be maintained. Ensure that you keep on top of your feelings and emotions when things maybe do not go as planned. It is easy to let the negative ‘voices’ take over, these things try to trip you up, but by keeping them in check, will ensure you keep going therefore creating endurance. Silence the voices by writing down what they are saying, and then crossing them out again, it sounds crazy, but it is often said that when we write something down, we commit to it, well that sounds good to me, but how powerful and fierce will it feel if you physically cross it out again! Talk about taking control!
Step 4 – R
Be Radical & Resilient. I am sure you have heard this before, “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.” It is no good to do things the same way, so approach your goal and the little chunks in a way that seems radical. Break the rules a bit, do something different and see what happens. If you demonstrate high levels of integrity along the way, then what is the worse that can happen? In order to be fierce, you have to be radical in what you do. You will be amazed at how great the results can be, when you commit to doing something, and then going about it in a unique way. Avoid listening to people’s advice, especially people who use the words “that’s a good idea, but the only problem with that is..” don’t let them talk you out of it, be resilient even if you find yourself struggling to keep going, depart from the traditional, just go ahead and do it, because you can do it.
Step 5 –C
Campaign, Concentrate & Commit. When you start on this journey to be fiercer, tell people what you are doing so that you have some encouragement and support. This campaigning approach is not vulgar self-promotion, no, it keeps you concentrating and committed to the cause. If what you are doing is worth all this effort, is it not worth sharing? Especially if you achieve the overall goal. How great will it feel to achieve that target, reach the goal, complete the project or lose the weight surrounded by people who you have told about your personal campaign?
Step 6 – E
Evaluate the end game and embark on the next. Part of being fierce is the ability to endure. This can be achieved by constantly evaluating what you are doing especially when you get to where you needed to be. There has to be another goal, another target another project that you would like to embark on? You don’t just stop and sit back on your laurels. Look back on what has worked, what went really well and why. Then address the things that were tougher, often these are the things that got you to where you needed to be. Look at the lessons learned and apply them to the next things you want to work on and embark on them with a new focus and a newer fierceness.
Now you have the steps, you now need to get started. So sharpen your claws, uncover your feral side, and start leaving your own personal mark all around for people to see. In time they will admire what you have done and maybe ask how you did it, and you can say, “I did it by being F.I.E.R.C.E.” You can have a little roar of your own now if you want, go on, just a little one.
Thanks for reading. This blog forms part of SerialTrainer7 coaching and assertiveness skills development. If you and your team need help in this area then please get in touch by calling me Simon on 07979 537824 or email Simon@serialtrainer7.com
