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A few years ago, one of my sons and I completed a four-day bush walk,  lugging an enormous backpack along the extraordinary Tasman Coastal Trail in Tasmania’s southeast. Along with magnificent memories, aching knees and sore shoulders, I returned with a new insight into leadership style and performance.

Each day of the walk we encountered numerous snakes on the track. Most of them slowly made their way into the scrub and we were able to pass safely. A few lingered, making us wait until they were ready to move or find an alternative path. Knowing that every snake in Tasmania is poisonous, we were mindful of their presence and always on the look out.

On the third day, we walked out onto Cape Pillar, which has the highest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere. We met a number of trail workers developing a new track to minimise the environmental impact of walkers. Chatting with one of them, I asked if they had many problems with snakes – he responded by holding up his gloved hands. ‘They are everywhere. We have to work on the assumption that there is a snake under every rock, every bag and around every corner’, he replied, before going on, ‘and it slows us down. If we didn’t have to worry about snakes, we would make twice the progress.’

 As I walked, and perhaps in a desperate attempt to focus on something other than the weight of my pack, I reflected on the impact of a potential snake under every rock. How different was the experience of these track workers from that of many people working in ‘safer’ indoor environments every day?

For many workplaces the snakes under the rocks are metaphorical – but the impact on productivity and mindset is just as real. When people worry about ‘being bitten’ they hold back. When they are worried about consequences rather than performance they commit less.

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Thanks to our producer, Josh at JCALdigital.org