What does it take to believe in your ability to execute leadership?
I’ve struggled with this. As a woman, I know the feeling of being surrounded by highly competent and successful men, all superior in rank, and letting my competitive nature take over.
Outside, I feel an urge to prove that I can keep up with them.
When inside, I struggle with my ability to make a quick decision and not worry about the consequences, thereby falling behind, stuck in my newly created past. And the guys have already moved on to the next thing.
Is there a part of the brain that controls and dominates consequences, and guilt? Left brain, to be sure. But specifically, limbic brain = fear. The fright and flight that car commercials appeal to with “Jeep” or “Ford Tough”. A past client called it his “lizard brain” when he said things that he shouldn’t have said (thereby getting fired).
So how do we counter it? I have so many friends who struggle with it. And I really think an executive coach can help. Especially as we age, get promoted and become the mentors.
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