FEAR INDEX ASSESSMENT™
Making the invisible visible
You cannot change what you cannot see. The Fear Index Assessment™ reveals the conditions shaping performance.
You cannot change what you cannot see.
Every organization produces results.
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But those results are shaped by the conditions people experience every day — conditions that influence how people collaborate, take ownership, speak up, and perform.
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Many of those conditions are invisible.
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Leaders sense them in hesitation, silence, and missed opportunities. But until now, they have been incredibly difficult to measure.
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The Fear Index Assessment™, developed by Jumpseat Leadership, changes that.
What We Mean by Fear
When we talk about fear, we are not referring just to panic or crisis.
We are describing something far more common and far more influential. It's a factor that directly affects the everyday effectiveness of any team.
Fear is a response to perceived threat
​Fear is the natural , human response people have when they perceive their life, livelihood, status, or reputation is under threat.
In organizations, this rarely shows up in obvious ways.
See the Conditions Shaping Performance
The Fear Index Assessment™ reveals how people experience the environment they work within and how those perceptions influence behaviour across the organization.
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It shows where fear may be influencing:​​
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Decision-making
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Ownership
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Communication
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Collaboration
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Performance
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We see fear not as a weakness in people, but as a rational response to the conditions around them.
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For the first time, leaders can see clearly what has previously been hidden and causing friction – and understand how to take action.
What you Receive
The Fear Index Assessment™ provides leaders with clear, actionable insight, not just data.
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Organizations receive:
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A comprehensive Fear Index Assessment™ report
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Visual heat maps showing patterns across teams and functions
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Clear identification of where fear is negatively influencing behaviour
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Insight into alignment, variation, and pressure points
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A shared language for understanding organizational conditions
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Leadership guidance on where to focus next
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This is not simply a report.
It is a clear view of the conditions shaping performance.
how it works
Participants respond anonymously to a series of statements using the Fear Index 7-point scale.
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1 — Optimal Environment
People feel able to contribute, challenge, and take ownership.
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7 — Fear-dominated Environment
Fear strongly influences behaviour and decision-making.
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Most organizations fall somewhere in between.
The results reveal patterns of perception across the system helping leaders understand where conditions are enabling performance and where they are holding it back.
A shared language for leadership
One of the most powerful outcomes of the Fear Index Assessment™ is the language it creates.
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Leaders and teams begin to describe their environment in clear, practical terms:
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“This team is operating at a 5.”
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“We need to move this environment toward a 2.”
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“Fear is influencing decision-making here.”
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This shared language makes it easier to identify challenges, align leaders, and take action.
What This Is — And What It Is Not
The Fear Index Assessment™ is not an engagement survey.
It is not a personality test.
It does not evaluate individuals.
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It reveals how people experience the conditions around them — and how those conditions influence behaviour.
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This allows leaders to focus on what matters most:
the environment people are operating within.
High-performing organizations do two things well:
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1. They see the conditions shaping behaviour. The Fear Index Assessment™ makes those conditions visible.​
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2. They develop leaders who shape those conditions intentionally. Jumpseat Leadership provides the practices to do exactly that.
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Together, they create a powerful system for improving performance.
The Practices That Shift the Conditions
At Jumpseat Leadership, our work focuses on three practices that consistently move organizations toward healthier, higher-performing environments.
Commitment
Clarity of purpose and consistency of action.
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When leaders create clarity and act consistently, people understand what matters and how to contribute.
Alignment increases, uncertainty decreases, and teams focus on meaningful results.
Humble Confidence
Confidence in direction combined with humility in learning.
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Leaders who combine confidence with curiosity create environments where people feel safe to challenge, contribute, and learn.
This strengthens decision-making, adaptability, and innovation.
Belonging
Creating environments where people feel valued and able to contribute.
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When people feel respected and included, they are more willing to take ownership, innovate and overcome challenges.
Collaboration strengthens, trust deepens, and performance improves.
Together, these practices help organizations move toward a “2 Environment” — where fear no longer dominates perception and people can perform at their best.
The Journey
The Fear Index Assessment™ is not a one-time activity. It is the starting point for meaningful change.
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1. See the conditions
Understand how people experience the organization.
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2. Understand the patterns
Identify where fear is influencing behaviour.
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3. Strengthen leadership
Develop the practices that shape better conditions.
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4. Shift the environment
Create conditions where people can perform at their best.
Work With Jumpseat Leadership
The Fear Index Assessment™ is delivered as part of a broader engagement with Jumpseat Leadership.
We partner with organizations to:
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Deploy the assessment
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Interpret the insights
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Align leadership teams
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Strengthen the practices that shape performance
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Because when leaders can see the conditions shaping behaviour, they gain the ability to change them.
