Entrepreneurs at Lancaster University Team Up: Fear as Fuel for Business Success

Two entrepreneurs shaping the next generation at Lancaster University Management School have released an insightful interview on how fear, often seen as a hurdle, can actually propel leaders and startups forward.

Neil Jurd OBE, founder of Leader Connect (a successful leadership training platform) and Entrepreneur in Residence/Honorary Teaching Fellow at LUMS, sits down with Dr Brian Gregory, Senior Teaching Fellow in Entrepreneurship and Strategy, and Director of the university's Entrepreneurs in Residence programme, in a new Leader-Connect podcast/video.

Brian, who left school at 16 and built Safety Management (UK) into a leading fire safety firm before transitioning to academia, shares insights from his 2025 PhD, "Heart-centred Networks: Powered by the Brain and Driven by the Heart." The research shows fear sharpens focus in uncertain markets, while "unrequited reciprocity," giving support without strings, creates resilient networks that spark innovation and growth.

Neil, who runs Leader Connect delivering practical courses to thousands, ties it to everyday business: "Brian's work proves what I've seen running my company, acknowledge fear, build trust through real help, and watch momentum build."

Brian adds: "In entrepreneurship, fear signals opportunity. Heart-centred connections turn it into advantage—something I learned scaling my own ventures."

The 49-minute chat (January 2026 release) previews Brian's upcoming course on emotional intelligence for founders. Free to watch: https://leader-connect.co.uk/videos/interview-with-brian-gregory

Nearly half the workforce fearful at work

A recent survey of 4,400 UK companies by HR specialists, The Curve Group, has established that 45% of employees are less likely to put their head above the parapet at work for fear of losing their jobs. The Employee Engagement Survey also found that one in every four organisations are not looking at ways to keep their top talent and engaging their staff.

According to the research, employees that are fearing loss of their job have become more risk averse, think only in the short term, do what they need to do and stop being as proactive or innovative.

Lyndsey Simpson, Co-owner of The Curve Group comments on the findings; “This move to survival mode is a known shift coming out of a recession but it does have major repercussions for organisations including lower levels of performance, especially from survivors of a redundancy process and managers using a short-term, reactive management style.”

Employers are looking at this worrying trend though with 42% citing employee engagement as its number one people challenge and 75% of companies have conducted a recent survey and know the opinions of their staff. Practices taken on by employers who are looking at employee engagement have included:

• Re-invigorating talent management programmes
• Running climate surveys to ‘temperature check’ employees’ current feelings and views
• Providing coaching and training support to line managers on how to adapt their management style to a more longer-term leadership approach
• Changing performance management systems to include behavioural objectives and a two-way feedback approach
• Creating schemes for making employees feel valued
• Improving internal communications and providing clarity around employees’ and line manager roles and how they contribute to the organisations success

The remaining 25% of companies surveyed said that they would be looking into employee engagement in the next 6-12 months.