What do you do if your clients lack confidence in their leadership abilities?

I will invite the client to define what leadership means to them and the leader they aspire to be. One effective approach is to reflect on the leaders whom they admire and the specific qualities that impressed them. A good way to start is to mirror these qualities and behaviours. To act in a manner that resonates with their values. This provides a familiar visualization of what they can do. With that, we can identify the challenges or skills gaps to work on to build their self-confidence.

I've had this; I work with others who do. I try to identify the specific situations where they arise; then, I try to identify the thoughts they bring about and what they lead to. Its important to really work on what the thoughts mean to a person, "I'm scared of looking silly" could actually be a fear of rejection. Its important to normalise them Then I work on creating space at the moment the thought arises, simple centring exercises, to then allow a challenge to that thought with evidence that allows the person to continue, it takes practice but over time it is really effective.

The only difference between you and an expert, is that the expert has slides. It's humorous and true at the same time. If two people show up to a meeting, one is always assumed to be the expert of the two. We believe the stories we tell ourselves whether they are true or not. Sometimes what we believe makes them true. We can be our greatest champion or our own worst enemy. It is a choice we make for ourselves.

In my coaching practice I focus first on helping clients Remember, Reclaim and Reconnect with themselves. This involves: Remembering who they were and how they showed up before the self-doubt took over Reclaiming their truth and values and leave what isn’t serving them behind Reconnect with their truth, intuition and self-trust This foundation creates the building blocks for the next level of growth which is Clarity, Confidence and Connection.

As Michael Foo said defining leadership would be interesting here! When we broaden the spectrum of leadership in the workplace to leadership in other spheres of our lives, one realizes that there might be interesting correlation. How is this relevant? It will help us uncover what is the common denominator in their lack of confidence. From there, starts a journey of turning around one's perspective of self to another one that is rooted in trust and confidence. Because it is already there! Many paths can lead there, some are more mindful others more rooted in action. Whichever is taken is irrelevant, as long as the coachee is resolved in seeing clearly and remains conscious in this process. 🙏💜

I have found it’s about having a conversation about what they the leadership is and how they have shown leadership in the past. Being a great leader is about being aware of your strengths and weaknesses so you can learn from others. Recognising your weaknesses helps you encourage others to use your strengths

You can set deadlines for what you are going to do, but you cannot set deadlines for how you are going to feel. You cannot set deadlines for how your teams or people in your personal life will feel. Tracking action deadlines and personal growth progress as separate lines on a graph sometimes can be eye-opening. Is a project not getting done because of action challenges or confusion or because of people or people-in-teams issues, challenges, and confusion? How about projects in your own life?

Have your clients write a list of 10 things they achieved despite them being challenging, in the past 10 years. Then ask them what skills they used, so they can apply them to current challenges.

I empower my clients to see their worth without the influence of outside factors. We work on positive self-talk, implementing affirmations, creating a value list that becomes their guide for actions. They can easily celebrate decisions and achievements when they are constantly acknowledging their values and using them as their personal road map to success. I also provide my clients with a 6 step framework to Nix Negative Thinking. This helps them recognize a negative thought is approaching and how to reframe that to a more supportive thought.

Lonely, yes, leadership can be lonely. But what can you look for in a relationship - business or personal - to stop feeling lonely? Consider two elements: 1. Can you be yourself around the person and not be in "leader" mode? (Even feeling like you are the emotional leader or relationship leader.) 2. Do you feel they understand your challenges with compassion (An example of a non understanding response is "people wish they had your problems").

Leadership can be lonely! - Creating a focus group for likeminded leaders to come together, share wins and challenges! - A trusted Coach or Mentor, to provide a safe space, explore options and take action - Promoting that showing vulnerability is a strength not a weakness

My first comment on the subject (Uncover Roots) holds better ground than this second one. I would always start the exploration in the former than move to a more behavioural aspect of the conversation. Reflecting regularly on these elements will align and reinforce the coachees mind and heart: - Vicarious learning (who can I observe that demonstrate the traits I wish to embody for myself) - What past experiences can prove/demonstrate that I had good leadership capabilities. - See and remember the small or big wins. Stay conscious of this process and keep your will on seing clearly, there lies the secret sauce. 🙏💜

Self reflecting is key: Note down: - Daily wins! - What’s working well- CONTINUE - What’s not working well- STOP - Taking intentional action- START Do weekly reviews to check progress! Celebrate the wins! Big or small!

Do you know if a decision was made from a place of pleasing others, because of external influences or requirements, or because you chose the decision based on the known data? The results of a chosen decision might please others or meet requirements, but becoming more aware of these subtle decision making differences can create a state of clarity so effective and consistent it works quickly in any situation and produces incredible results.

One seldom considered aspect of clients lacking confidence in their leadership abilities is the impact of self-awareness on confidence levels. Often, individuals focus solely on acquiring external skills or validation, neglecting the crucial internal journey of self-discovery. Encouraging clients to explore their values, strengths, and areas for growth can lead to profound shifts in confidence. By embracing their authentic selves and aligning their actions with their core values, leaders not only gain confidence but also inspire trust and authenticity within their teams, fostering a culture of empowerment and success.

Sometimes it’s just the mindset they have for the word leadership that engenders the lack of confidence. That is, they have total confidence in a situation until they’re reminded they’re a leader and then confidence flies out of the window. Exploring use of alternate terms that are more inspiring for them might be all that’s needed - for example conductor (might work better if they love music), captain (might work if they love sports), pioneer (might work if they love innovation) and so on. Or of course they could also try to change their relationship with the word leader - which from experience can be harder to do than finding a different word.

An absolute foundation to leadership development is individuals seeing themselves as leaders. Having worked with people who didn't consider themselves leaders, explaining the different types and styles of leadership, away from the transactional, overt style most people think of. It's vital individuals understand that they are leaders, and that their leadership adds value to their organisation, before they can build confidence in their more detailed leadership skills.

In coaching clients who lack confidence in their leadership skills, suggest immersive experiences like outdoor leadership retreats or volunteer work where they can practice leadership in a supportive environment. Encourage them to create a personal leadership manifesto outlining their values, vision, and past wins, providing a clear guide for decision-making. Utilize role-playing exercises where they embody successful leaders, helping them internalize effective leadership behaviors. These tailored approaches can build confidence and develop authentic leadership skills in your client.

Highlighting the gap between what they "think" or "believe" about their leadership skills and the actual skills they can develop to gain more confidence. Confidence also involves understanding and owning your abilities, strengths and leadership style, as well as recognizing or not arguing with your limitations.