Five Common Limiting Beliefs About Leadership And How To Overcome Them.

Over the last 10 years as a leadership coach, I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented individuals who are striving to improve their leadership skills and fulfil their potential and ambition.

Yet a common thread for everyone is the limiting beliefs that stifle their growth and progress – it’s almost like there is an invisible barrier when it comes to the success they want to achieve.

And I get that - we all have them in some form or another.

We just don’t usually admit to having them, so we think we’re the only one.

In this newsletter, I’ll be exploring 5 common limiting beliefs I’ve come across and the impact they are likely to have. I’ll also touch on some of the best strategies you can put in place to stop them from holding you back.

5 Common Limiting Beliefs about Leadership

1- Feeling that you’re not good enough

This definitely has to be in the number one spot on the list. Many leaders struggle with the nagging feeling of inadequacy and are scared they won’t measure up to the expectations they are setting for themselves.

2- People pleasing

Wanting to please everyone means you tend to put yourself last because you’re meeting an endless list of obligations that aren’t yours.

When you don’t prioritise your own needs, not only does your health and wellbeing suffer but it’s not something that’s sustainable. In the long term, you’re more likely to suffer excess stress and burnout as a result.

3 - Self-criticism

Judging yourself harshly can be pretty detrimental. It saps your confidence big time. In my case, it showed up as a fear of making mistakes and eventually procrastination, which then stopped me from taking opportunities when they came up.

This particular belief also undermines your resilience and coping mechanisms, making it harder to bounce back from setbacks.

4 - Fear of failure

This fear can lead to indecision on a big scale. It can prevent even the most ambitious leaders from taking action.

5- Imposter Syndrome

Believing you are an ‘imposter’ or not worthy of the leadership role you have will contribute to a dip in your self-confidence.

The sense of inadequacy and feeling like a fraud, despite evidence of your competence, has a big impact on how you show up as a leader.

I’ve often seen people downplay their achievements or attribute their success to luck, rather than acknowledging their contributions.

In my case it was a feeling of being undeserving of the success I was achieving despite the challenges I was overcoming.

I thought all the difficulties meant I wasn’t experienced or smart enough and it really impacted my self-worth for some time.

What you can do to overcome your limiting beliefs

It’s not uncommon that despite achieving really great results you might be battling self-doubt and negative beliefs about your abilities, on a daily basis.

Whatever your limiting beliefs, don’t forget you’re not the only one who lets your negative self-talk impact you in some way.

With the right support, a good coach will be able to help you work out your limiting beliefs, and strategies that work for you, you can overcome these obstacles and thrive as a confident and empowered leader.

Find out more about my Next Level Leadership Coaching Programme ; it has specific modules and exercises to help you discover and overcome the beliefs that are limiting you.

Here are some strategies for you to try:

Self-awareness: the first step is knowing what limiting beliefs you have.

Identify which ones (and there’s likely to be more than one that affects you) are likely to head you off into negative thoughts and doubts about your abilities and competence.

It’s just a question of noticing when they crop up, recognising the emotions and the limiting thought patterns when they appear.

Once you know what is limiting you, then it’s easier to find strategies that will help you deal with their impact.

Challenge your negative self-talk: listen to yourself and what you’re saying about how good (or bad) you think you are performing in your role.

Reframe your negative thoughts as soon as you notice them.

For every negative thought or statement you make about yourself, combat it with three positive ones immediately.

Visualise success: imagine yourself achieving your goals. Reprogramming your subconscious reinforces positive beliefs about your capabilities.

Most successful sportsmen and women have imagined themselves winning the match and lifting the trophy.

Shift your mindset: to that of growth and view challenges as opportunities for learning and development, rather than fixed measures of your competence.

If you believe that you can develop and succeed as a leader, then you’ll be more likely to get there.

Celebrate your achievements: however small they are, celebrating will boost your confidence and strengthen your positive self-beliefs, and minimise your limiting ones.

Let go of the need to be perfect: and embrace being “good enough”.

You can strive for improvement in all things, but accepting that mistakes and imperfections are inevitable makes your leadership journey a lot easier.

Practise gratitude: and focus on the positive aspects of your leadership journey so far. Gratitude shifts your perspective from scarcity to abundance, which makes you feel much more optimistic.

Surround yourself with positive people: like colleagues, friends, mentors, peers and coaches who will give you guidance and encouragement.

A leadership coach particularly will help you unravel your own specific limiting beliefs and develop personalised strategies for growth.

Overcoming your limiting beliefs will support your career and leadership success.

Don’t take this journey alone

Remember you’re not alone in this journey of overcoming limiting beliefs. Get in touch with me.

With the right strategies and support you can overcome any beliefs that are limiting you and start to thrive as a confident and empowered leader.

You can emerge as a leader who is ready to make a difference in your own organisation – and beyond.

Don’t let your limiting beliefs hold you back from the leadership success you deserve. Take the first step towards your extraordinary future today!

If you’re a female leader ready to build your confidence to more easily tackle your day-to-day leadership challenges, send me a DM.

We can have a conversation about how I can help you and I’d love to hear about your experiences as a female leader, so far.

Jackie