Many years ago, someone told me about a story she’d shared with a friend who was a doctor. A nurse she knew was experiencing high levels of anxiety when doing particular tasks; a fear that one mistake could lead to the decline or even death of a patient.
The nurse had been honest with colleagues about her anxieties. They had responded by taking from her the tasks she was most fearful of, enabling her to concentrate on areas of her work which generated less anxiety.
In response to this story, the doctor replied that — as well-meaning as her colleagues may have been — this was not the right approach.
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