Why You Can’t Build With Fear-Fueled People

There’s a certain type of employee every leader runs into.

The one who only performs when their back is against the wall.

Deadlines get hit, they own their role, and go all in the moment it feels like their job security is on the line.

It’s like the second you introduce pressure—like a new hire who threatens their seat—you see a sudden surge in effort.

They show up sharper, communicate clearer, and finally do the things you've been asking for months.

You can't help but wonder: where the hell was this the whole time?

The truth? It was never missing—it was waiting for fear to flip the switch.

Because this type of person only gives their best when a gun's held to their head.

And the moment you take the gun away?

They slip back into complacency.

Which means you’re not just looking at untapped potential. You’re looking at someone whose operating system is fear.

And if we’re honest, fear isn’t just their operating system — it’s one we’ve all run at some point.

Bringing us to this week’s Human Operating System.

THE MIRROR: Where This Behavior Shows Up In You

It’s easy to spot this pattern in others.

Harder to admit the ways we’ve lived it ourselves.

That “gun to the head” behavior you can’t stand in a teammate?

You’ve likely tolerated it in yourself.

• Ever pulled an all-nighter because you procrastinated until the deadline was non-negotiable? Same operating system.

• Ever only fixed your finances after overdrafting your account? Same thing.

• Ever waited for a doctor’s warning before finally changing your habits? You get the point.

We all know what it’s like to only move when the pressure is unbearable. To wait until the “gun is to our head.”

The difference is—some people evolve past it.

They build systems, accountability, and self-trust so performance isn’t dependent on panic.

But others never do.

And when fear is someone’s only fuel, consistency will always be temporary.

THE WINDOW: Where This Behavior Shows Up In Others

Picture yourself sitting at the back of the room, watching the team.

One person lights up—finally hopeful. They bet on this underperformer, vouched for them, and now they’re clinging to the possibility of redemption.

You can almost feel their relief, mixed with insecurity: “Please don’t make me look like a fool for believing in you.”

Across the table, someone else has zero tolerance. No compassion or patience.

They don’t let themselves operate that way, so they have no grace for anyone who does.

Then there are the indifferent ones—the people who’ve written this person off long ago.

Aloof, disengaged, already moving around the dead weight in their minds.

And finally, the quietest ones. They’d never say anything about it but they don’t trust them either.

They’ll work with them, but they’ll never lean on them.

Four different camps. Four different stories playing out at once.

As a leader, you have to see that the room isn’t neutral.

Every teammate is quietly recalibrating based on what they tolerate, what they value, and what they’re willing to excuse.

On the surface, everyone’s polite. The work gets done. But under it?

• Resentment simmers.

• Trust erodes.

• Respect disappears.

Because people can forgive mistakes and learning curves.

But they don’t forgive inconsistency and short bursts of effort—especially when they’re the ones picking up the slack.

THE MISSION: How These Behaviors Impact the Collective 

Now, when you leave this behavior unchecked, it doesn’t just frustrate individuals. It warps the mission.

The team starts learning the wrong lessons:

1. Effort only matters when someone’s watching.

2. Ownership is optional unless there’s a threat attached.

3. Teamwork can’t be trusted—because I can’t rely on my coworkers to show up.

And over time, the dynamic poisons everything:

• High performers disengage because they’re tired of carrying the weight.

• Mediocre players calibrate downward because mediocrity keeps getting a pass.

• Trust erodes because everyone knows effort isn’t being measured honestly.

It’s death by a thousand cuts.

And the throughline in all of this? You can’t ask people to commit to a future when they don’t even trust the present.

Spotting this pattern isn’t enough. You have to decide what you’ll do with it.

1. Call it what it is.
Don’t confuse fear-driven bursts with sustainable performance.

If someone only turns it on under threat, name the pattern so you don’t get fooled by the spike.

2. Test for consistency.
Give clear expectations and space without the “gun to the head.” If the effort disappears, you have your answer.

They’re not unreliable because they can’t do the job—they’re unreliable because they won’t.

3. Protect the culture.
Every time you excuse this behavior, the rest of the team learns effort is optional.

Decide whether this person aligns with the standards you want to build on. If not, remove them before the rot spreads.

The real work here isn’t managing the spikes.

It’s deciding whether someone’s baseline is good enough to build with—or whether they’re dead weight dragging everyone down.

Each week, we will feature perspectives from Huddle readers — the sharpest takes, reflections, and frontline stories on building better leadership and culture.

Want to be featured? Hit reply and share how you see this week’s Human OS show up in your workplace — in yourself, in your team, or in culture at large. We’ll feature the sharpest perspectives in next week’s Huddle Board.