How Leaders Can Overcome Self-Doubt and Build Resilience at Work

Have you ever felt stupid at work?

Maybe you were asked a question you didn't know the answer to. Maybe you made a suggestion that was dismissed. Or maybe you missed a chance to say something insightful and spent the rest of the day kicking yourself for it.

Congratulations, you're human!

And you're not alone. Self-doubt affects us all, even the most accomplished leaders.

As a leader, these moments of self-doubt can feel especially challenging. When others look to you for direction, questioning your own abilities can undermine your effectiveness and impact your entire team.

We can all feel uncertain from time to time. It doesn't mean we are inadequate, but it does mean that we're susceptible to self-doubt.

Left unchecked, self-doubt can lead to fear, insecurity, and decreased performance at work. Luckily, there are specific strategies to combat self-doubt that allow you to overcome challenges and develop resilience in all aspects of your leadership journey.

Understanding Self-Doubt in Leadership Roles

Self-doubt in leadership positions manifests uniquely. When you're responsible for guiding others, second-guessing your decisions can cascade throughout your organization. Leaders often experience heightened self-doubt because:

• The stakes feel higher when your decisions affect many people
• Leadership requires constant decision-making with incomplete information
• Others look to you for confidence, even during uncertainty
• Leadership positions often come with increased visibility and scrutiny

How To Identify Self-doubt?

Self-doubt is the first stage of the impostor syndrome cycle, which will make you think:

• You should have known better
• You're not cut out for this leadership role
• People don't take you seriously
• You're a fraud
• Mistakes like this will ruin your career

Don't listen. It's a liar.

Instead of beating yourself up for what didn't go well or how you could have done better, what if you asked yourself:

• How much will this actually matter in a month? In a year? In 5 years?
• What new information did I learn that I didn't know before?
• If my best friend was going through what I am, what would I say to them to support or reassure them?
• What new behaviour or attitude could I try out next time?

The ability to do this defines a trait called resilience. Resilience helps when unexpected challenges arise, and when we need to detangle ourselves from our own self-critical cocoons.

7 Powerful Strategies for Leaders to Overcome Self-Doubt

When we call ourselves stupid, it doesn't motivate us to change. It does the opposite—it discourages us. It makes us live in fear of making mistakes, or even of taking any action at all.

We're much more motivated to change when we're compassionate. It gives us the confidence to rally up and try again.

As a leader facing self-doubt, these practical strategies can help you regain confidence and lead effectively:

1. Practice Self-Compassionate Leadership

The next time you're being hard on yourself, try this self-reflection technique inspired by therapeutic approaches like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), developed by Marsha Linehan:

1. Notice when you're being hard on yourself. Awareness is key.
2. Ask yourself: "Is what I'm saying to myself true?"
3. If so, ask: "Is this actually a problem?"

Configuring two-factor authentication, forgetting to add tags, sending emails with formatting errors… none of these things make you stupid! You have made a mistake at work, so what? If something is actually a problem and not just a mistake, here are three useful questions to ask yourself:

1. "Is this problem fixable?" You might make an error that can't be reversed. That doesn't mean you are beyond redemption.
2. "What's the worst-case scenario?" Often, the worst-case scenarios are not so terrible. Ask yourself, what are the real-life consequences?
3. "Can I cope with it?" Okay, so believe the answer is yes.

2. Develop a Growth Mindset

Leaders with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to learn rather than threats to their competence. When you embrace this perspective:

• You see feedback as valuable information rather than personal criticism
• You recognize that leadership skills develop through effort and experience
• You understand that setbacks provide essential lessons for future success

This mindset shift allows you to lead with curiosity instead of fear, creating psychological safety for both yourself and your team.

3. Create a Leadership Support Network

Even the most confident leaders benefit from supportive relationships. Build a network of:

• Peer leaders who understand your challenges
• Mentors who have navigated similar doubts
• Coaches who can provide objective feedback

These relationships provide perspective when self-doubt clouds your judgment and remind you that leadership struggles are universal, not signs of personal inadequacy.

4. Reset Your Brain Through Progress Tracking

One powerful way to reset your brain is to simply track your progress. By keeping track of what you did and what it was like for you, you literally rewire your brain toward growth.

There will always be a next time. Instead of wallowing in defeat or using that doubt as evidence that you're inadequate, how about seeing it as an opportunity to learn a new tool or gain a new resource?

Instead of giving up, experiment and create the conditions you need to adapt and do better. This is what develops resilience, confidence, and wisdom over time.

Practical Ways to Track Progress

1. Notice that, despite setbacks, you haven't given up.
2. Remember that it's okay to rest and that this doesn't mean you've given up.
3. Make and re-make the choice to focus on things you can do rather than things you can't.
4. Proudly remind yourself of ways you've already improved.
5. Record how your progress feels — not just what you've done, but also how it's gotten easier or how your confidence has grown.
6. Feel gratitude for the things working in your favor and the small wins along the way.

If you're already doing them, take this as a reminder or 'proof' that you're heading in a helpful direction.

5. Embrace Vulnerability as a Leadership Strength

Particularly in leadership roles, self-doubt can impede decision-making, cloud judgment, and hinder career progression. One powerful way to address this is by transforming vulnerability from a perceived weakness into a leadership strength.

For leaders:

Leaders often feel the pressure to appear invincible. However, showcasing vulnerability can be a powerful tool. By admitting mistakes and sharing personal growth stories, leaders can create a culture of trust and transparency.

For example, a CEO sharing a story about a failed project during a company-wide meeting can choose to focus on the lessons learned and how it paved the way for future successes.

When you model vulnerability:

• Team members feel safer admitting their own uncertainties
• The organization becomes more innovative as people take thoughtful risks
• Your authenticity builds deeper trust and loyalty

6. Reframe Negative Self-talk

For leaders:

Replace catastrophic thinking with balanced self-assessments.

Example: Instead of thinking, "I made a wrong decision, and now the company's future is jeopardized," a leader might think, "That decision didn't work out as planned, but we have the agility to change and improve."

Try these specific reframing techniques when self-doubt emerges:

• "I don't know everything" becomes "No leader knows everything—my strength is in finding answers"
• "My team will lose respect if I admit uncertainty" becomes "My team will respect my honesty and problem-solving approach"
• "Other leaders don't struggle like this" becomes "All leaders face doubt—successful ones develop strategies to work through it"

7. Invest in Continuous Leadership Development

For leaders:

Allocate time and resources for training sessions, leadership workshops, and self-care routines.

Example: A leader might schedule monthly executive coaching sessions or retreats to refine their skills.

Self-doubt often diminishes as your leadership toolkit expands. Consider:

• Formal leadership development programs that build specific skills
• Reading and researching leadership approaches that align with your values
• Practicing new techniques in low-stakes situations before applying them in critical moments

Remember that leadership development isn't just about technical skills—emotional intelligence, communication abilities, and strategic thinking all contribute to confidence in your leadership capacity.

Supporting Your Team Through Their Self-Doubt

As you learn to manage your own self-doubt, you become better equipped to help team members with theirs. Consider these approaches:

Create Psychological Safety

Build an environment where team members can express uncertainty without fear of judgment. This includes:

• Normalizing questions and requests for clarification
• Celebrating thoughtful risk-taking, even when outcomes aren't perfect
• Addressing mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures

Provide Specific, Growth-Oriented Feedback

When giving feedback:

• Focus on observed behaviors rather than perceived character traits
• Highlight specific strengths alongside areas for development
• Offer concrete suggestions for improvement

Model Healthy Responses to Challenges

Your team will take cues from how you handle setbacks. When facing challenges, demonstrate:

• Calm problem-solving rather than emotional reactivity
• Appropriate transparency about the situation
• Confidence in the team's ability to overcome obstacles