Self-Doubt is the Foundation of Confidence in Leaders

Self-doubt is the foundation of confidence in leaders.

That may sound counterintuitive, but when you think about some of the behaviours and traits required to be an inspirational leader, self-doubt is a friend not foe:

• Humility: When you have self-doubt you are more aware of your limitations, imperfections, and infallibility. You are open to the idea that there’s room for improvement, and this realisation is a core aspect of humility in leadership.
• Resilience: When you experience setbacks that challenge your self-belief, these experiences become an opportunity for growth and learning. By leaning into self-doubt rather than fighting it, you are building the resilience ‘muscle’ and will feel better equipped facing adversity moving forward.
• Good Decision Making: When self-doubt creeps in when you’re trying to make decisions, it can sometimes paralyse you. But when you work with self-doubt, it becomes a tool to prevent overconfidence biases when making decisions, and instead prepares you for making well informed decisions based on the consideration of multiple options and pros and cons.
• Authenticity: When you’re able to acknowledge your self-doubts, it humanises you in the eyes of your team members. And, if you’re authentic, this fosters trust as your team admires you as someone who is not afraid to embrace and show vulnerability.

Remember, self-doubt is normal and healthy, to a point. But when it becomes bigger than the excitement of possibilities, opportunities, growth, and development, then it's a problem.

It’s a problem when it limits you, when it forces you to play small, to forget all your achievements, to forget your greatness, to disconnect from your strength and courage. 

Veterinary leaders may feel inclined to hide their feelings of self-doubt through fear of appearing weak, the impact it might have on team morale, fear of judgement or criticism, the pressure to maintain a certain image of strength and unwavering confidence, and personal pride and ego.

The voice of self-doubt can be overwhelming sometimes, but in the coaching space we are not trying to eliminate the voice of self-doubt, we try to make friends with it, and use it to our advantage, because self doubt is the foundation of confidence in leaders.