3 Ways to Avoid Self-Doubt as a Leader

Leaders motivate others to think bigger and do better.

But what motivates a leader to stay the course?

Seeing results certainly helps but even when employees or team members take immediate action toward thinking bigger and doing better, there’s often a runway to success.

Leaving time for the “What if’s” to creep in.

• “What if I should have taken a different approach?”
• “What if I misjudged their ability?”
• “What if this doesn’t lead to the results we need?”
• “What if I’m doing this all wrong?”

Even the best leaders deal with doubt and need a confidence boost (or a kick in the pants.) Asking for that kind of support can be tricky, because who do you turn to when you’re already in a vulnerable place?

After being around athletes for nearly 20 years, I know that every single one of them deals with this kind of self-doubt. Regaining confidence, and motivation to stay the course usually includes asking and answering these questions.

What does the total body of work indicate about my success? You wouldn’t have made it this far without being talented. Pull back from your immediate frustration, challenge or self-doubt and take stock of the success you’ve had up to this point. It’s not a fluke. You can do it again.

Who can relate to my situation? Some people won’t get it, but for a slumping baseball player the hitting coach knows what it’s like to be in an 0-24 slump and can relate to the feelings and the frustration. Get perspective from someone who’s been there.

What’s one thing I can fine tune and feel better about? Success requires a runway. Making one adjustment at the plate won’t automatically pull at batter out a slump, but there can be an immediate payoff in the way the swing feels. Look for one thing you can adjust, tweek, change or implement that gives you a little rush right away knowing you’re making positive steps forward.

You don’t have to go it alone in your pursuit of success. Whether you’re an established leader or an up-and-coming-leader seek ways to interact with people who can relate to you and help you fine tune success. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Learn from a Leader sessions. The monthly series gives you access to a featured leader plus time to workshop their leadership takeaways. There’s a big announcement coming soon regarding the featured leader in October!