Guided by Self-Trust: Stories of Courage and Conviction

For this week’s newsletter, we’re excited to share the latest episode of "Confessions of a Successful Leader," featuring Angela Cretu . Angela, the former global CEO of Avon, who takes us on a journey through her inspiring career—from growing up in communist Romania to becoming a leading voice in empowering women worldwide. This episode is packed with personal stories of resilience, leadership lessons, and Angela’s thoughts on the importance of equality and creating opportunities for the next generation of female leaders.

Tune in to hear how Angela transformed her personal challenges into professional strengths, and why she believes leadership is about creating value and making a difference in the lives of others.

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The Power of Self-Trust: A Key to Authentic Leadership

Self-trust is one of the most vital elements of effective leadership, yet it is often overlooked in favour of seeking validation from others or striving to meet external expectations. In this week's episode of Confessions of a Successful Leader with Angela Cretu, the former global CEO of Avon, we explored how her remarkable career has been shaped by an unyielding belief in her own abilities.

What Is Self-Trust?

At its core, self-trust is the confidence in your own judgments, decisions, and abilities. It is the belief that, regardless of external circumstances or opinions, you can navigate challenges and make the right calls. While it can be influenced by feedback and experience, self-trust comes from within. It’s about knowing who you are and having the courage to stand by your values and principles. For Angela, this meant trusting her instincts even when the environment around her didn’t support it.

Why Is Self-Trust Important in Leadership?

In leadership, the ability to trust yourself is fundamental to making tough decisions, leading teams through uncertainty, and staying true to your vision. Without self-trust, leaders can become overly reliant on others’ opinions, hesitant to make bold moves, or trapped in a cycle of self-doubt. A lack of self-trust can lead to micromanagement, fear of failure, and inability to delegate—qualities that hinder progress and innovation.

Cultivating Self-Trust

Building self-trust doesn’t happen overnight. It requires practice, self-awareness, and willingness to embrace vulnerability. Here are some steps leaders can take to cultivate self-trust:

1. Acknowledge Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Self-trust isn’t about thinking you’re perfect; it’s about having an honest understanding of what you’re good at and where you need to grow.
2. Learn from Failure: One of the greatest obstacles to self-trust is fear of failure. Leaders who trust themselves see failure not as a reflection of their worth, but as a stepping stone toward growth and improvement.
3. Trust Your Intuition: Leaders are often bombarded with data, opinions, and advice. While external input is valuable, trusting your intuition—your gut feeling—is critical when making decisions that align with your values and goals.
4. Set Boundaries: Self-trust also involves setting boundaries. Leaders who trust themselves know when to say no, when to delegate, and when to step back.
5. Practice Self-Compassion: Cultivating self-trust requires self-compassion. Leaders must allow themselves to be human, to make mistakes, and to grow from them.

The Impact of Self-Trust on Leadership

When leaders trust themselves, they not only make better decisions, but also inspire confidence and trust in their teams. Self-trust allows leaders to take calculated risks, drive innovation, and push boundaries without second-guessing themselves. It creates the psychological safety needed to empower teams to perform at their best. Moreover, leaders with strong self-trust are more resilient. They can weather challenges, adapt to change, and maintain their composure in difficult situations.

A Lasting Lesson from Angela Cretu

As Angela transitions from her role at Avon to new ventures, her story remains a powerful example of the enduring importance of self-trust. She emphasizes that trusting yourself is not about arrogance or refusing feedback—it’s about believing that your unique perspective, experiences, and values have worth. It’s about leading from a place of authenticity and strength, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Angela’s story reminds us that self-trust is a lifelong practice.

So, let's keep building our self-trust as leaders and continue to inspire those around us. Remember, it's a lifelong practice, but one that can lead us to great success and impact in our careers. Here's to trusting ourselves and leading with confidence!

Fictional Journal of Haile Selassie – October 14, 1935

The Abyssinian Crisis and the Second Italo-Ethiopian War

Today, I stood before my people, my soldiers, and the empire that I have sworn to defend. The air is thick with the smell of burning land, our sacred land, violated by invaders. The Italians march upon our soil with their mighty machines of war, intending to break not only our defenses, but also our spirit. I have seen it in their eyes—the contempt, the cruelty, the arrogance of those who believe they have the right to strip a sovereign nation of its dignity.

Yet, I must confess that there is a fear within me that runs deeper than this conflict, a fear born not of Mussolini’s aggression, but from wounds that fester within my heart since childhood. I was but a boy when I lost my father, Ras Makonnen. He was my guide, my strength, and his sudden departure left me with a burden no child should bear—a kingdom that looked to me with expectations I was too young to comprehend. The sense of being alone, abandoned by fate, has haunted me ever since. And now, as the Emperor of Ethiopia, I feel the weight of this solitude more than ever.

I wonder, in the quiet moments, if I am destined to fail as my childhood self feared. Can I truly withstand the tides of war, or will I be swept away like so many forgotten kings? These doubts claw at my spirit, reminding me of that helpless boy who felt the cold absence of his father.

But self-trust, I remind myself, is my weapon—more potent than any gun, more steadfast than any army. I must trust the man I have become. I must trust that I am more than the fear that seeks to consume me. The boy who once trembled before his father’s throne is not the man who now stands to protect this ancient empire. I cannot allow the fear of abandonment to weaken my resolve in the face of our aggressors.

I have learned that leadership is not forged in comfort, but in adversity. I have learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to press forward despite it. Ethiopia’s enemies believe we are weak, divided, and primitive. They underestimate the power of a nation whose strength is not measured in machines or modern tactics, but in its unbreakable will to remain free.

I will summon the courage of my ancestors, those who fought to keep our land unconquered. I will remind myself that in every breath I take, I am the guardian of our people’s heritage, their hopes, their freedom. I may be tested, but I will not break. Self-trust will be my armor, and it is this trust that will lead me through the fires of this war and beyond.

Tomorrow, I will address my people again. I will not speak of my fears, but of our resilience. I will lead them with the conviction that our cause is just and our future is sovereign. No invader, no matter how powerful, can extinguish the light of a people who know their worth, who trust in themselves.

I must trust in myself now more than ever—for the fate of Ethiopia, for the legacy of our forefathers, for the future of my children.

Haile Selassie I

Ignite and Scale Podcast - Leading with Consciousness

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining Mike Allen on the Ignite & Scale podcast, where we delved into how leaders can significantly benefit from becoming more conscious and intentional about the decisions they make each day. This practice of self-awareness in leadership is a cornerstone of self-coaching and self-leadership, helping leaders make more aligned and impactful choices. It’s a powerful reminder that small, mindful decisions truly shape our success as leaders.

We hope you’ll find the episode insightful.

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We hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter.

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Stay curious, stay present, and stay conscious.

Andrew