Sometimes what's holding you back is...

... something a leader put in your head. 

I think many leaders underestimate the power we have to limit people's potential by creating ghosts holding them back. 

Shakira (my horse on the picture) has been trained to stand still. She does not even reflect on the fact that she is free to walk away. This is deliberate, and required quite some training and patience from my side. Horses are far less intelligent than humans, and you need a lot of consistent training for them to understand anything. A person understand what you mean sometimes with only one word.

I wonder how many times we as leaders undeliberatly put ghosts in people's minds, stopping them from using their potential? I want to believe that it is not done deliberately, but one word at the wrong time can definitely create that invisible rope holding someone back!

To all leaders out there: Build on people's strengths, and use positive reinforcement

To everyone with a manager: Remember to trust yourself, question your manager and tell him/her when he/she is wrong.