What are you saying to hold yourself back?

leadership mindset Jan 08, 2021
What are you saying to yourself to hold yourself back?
 
I was asked that question today and it made me stop and think.

There's always something right?

I remember when I was early on in my career I would think things like:
  • I'm in way over my head here
  • If I say something right now, that will be the end of my career
  • I'm not aggressive enough to be a leader
  • That [insert managers name here] is clearly way better than me, I'll never get to that level (and yet just a few years later I was past that level)
 
Does any of that sound familiar?

But here's the thing - none of that was actually true.

It was purely my perception, and yet I was allowing it to hold me back.

Getting clarity on what these thoughts are and then seeing them as a 'story' rather than a fact gets you halfway to eliminating them.

I'm sure you have your own version of what's going on in your head - what is it that you're telling yourself?

As an up and coming leader you will also want to listen, and I mean really listen, when your team is telling themselves (or you) stories. If you hear one take the time to reflect it back to them. Shine a light on it so they too can see it for what it is. 
 

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