How can you provide feedback to a coachee struggling with self-doubt?

Self-doubt is a phenomenon prevalent even among the most successful (imposter syndrome). To support a coachee in managing self-doubt one needs to understand their core personality. Like they say “Different strokes for different folks”. NLP, Affirmations, Past data , visualisation are all super tools to use A process that I have found extremely powerful is asking Byron Katie’s four questions Is it true? Can you absolutely know that it’s true? How do you react when you believe that thought? Who would you be without the thought?

Questioning: Ask open-ended questions that prompt reflection, such as: What specific situations trigger your self-doubt? Can you recall when these doubts first emerged? What messages or experiences contribute to these feelings? Exploring Patterns: Encourage them to reflect on recurring patterns or themes in their doubts. Look for commonalities across situations where self-doubt arises. Challenging Beliefs: Help them challenge their negative beliefs by examining evidence that contradicts these doubts. Encourage a balanced view of their capabilities and accomplishments. Past Experiences: Explore past successes or moments when they felt confident. What factors contributed to those moments? Can they replicate or build upon those experiences?

Self-acknowledgement, Self-love, self-appreciation are the antidote to Self-doubt. For most of us, self-doubt arises despite achievements and abilities mostly because we are too harsh on ourselves and expect others to acknowledge our value. We forget that it’s essentially an inner game and the power lies within us. The role of a Coach here is to remove the distorted mirror that we hold to ourselves and remind us of our intrinsic value.

In my experience coaching leaders and teams, we need to be open and objective around our obstacles so that we can begin to game plan solutions to build new habits that lead to success. All too often these discussions are filled with judgement about "why" we didn't accomplish something rather than creating an environment of possibilities by engaging with curiosity. Get curious with your coachee on what prevented them from succeeding and create a roadmap of how they want to approach a similar instance in the future differently. Opening up possibilities with your coachee by getting curious rather than judging their performance will provide room to be creative and discover new behaviors that will allow them permission to succeed.

When a self-doubting coachee is able to speak their doubts aloud to a relaxed, present, grounded, non-reactive coach, it gives them invaluable energetic feedback that it is ok to have doubts, they are an ok person and it builds their trust in themselves. :)

Expressive art is a great way for catharsis and also to enable a state of calmness. Mandala work, which is almost meditative often gives one many answers and solutions

NLP Circle of Excellence is an useful method, which has helped many people. Timeline is another interesting method too, which has assisted to overcome self doubt.