Hey leaders! Welcome to episode 43! We’re here to talk about navigating doubt. All leaders have doubts. Don’t think that you’re the only one that questions your confidence or abilities.
It’s incredibly common. So how does it make you a better leader?
You can find the full transcript of today’s episode, episode 43, at crazybigdreams.biz/43.
Doubt can surface for a lot of different reasons. The most common circumstance I hear about is during times of change. When there is change happening within your company and it impacts you and your team, it causes leaders to have moments when they doubt their ability to navigate it all.
It’s difficult to see the other side. It’s also difficult to know who’s still going to be with you once it’s all said and done.
Maybe there is a big change to the products your company is offering. Maybe there’s a difficult change to the compensation plan. Maybe the technology and training platform your company uses is getting a whole new upgrade and whoa all of a sudden no one can find resources they need at their fingertips.
It’s incredibly common for direct sales leaders to have some doubts during these times. When we can’t control the circumstances, even a little bit, worry creeps in. Doubt is a result. For many, it gets ignored. Some hide it. Most don’t want to be seen as uncertain. They would rather be seen as confident and having the answers. Of course! Who wouldn’t?
To use doubt to make you an even better leader you’ll want to consider these four strategies:
Strategy Number One: Focus on the Facts. There will be a lot of speculation, rumor mill, and false info flying about as people try to grasp the change that’s coming down. It just happens. Questions turn into truth and suddenly there’s misinformation. Innocently. Change can cause a frenzy. Focus on the facts and help your team do the same.
Strategy Number Two: Get Curious. Doubt helps us to explore alternatives and look for different ways to move forward. What a gift!
Curiosity makes you inquisitive. You want to know! It gives you this undeniable need to know and learn. These are essential to help navigate change. Embrace the doubts you’re having as a leader and look for a better way to navigate your team through the current circumstances and inevitable changes.
Strategy Number Three: Know Your Relatability Skyrockets. During times of doubt as a leader, if you embrace it and don’t try to hide it, you show up real, relatable, and authentic. What better way to be an example to emerging leaders on your team that you’re human too? That they can do this if you can.
Especially during difficult times of change as a leader, you want to be able to show them,” look, if I can lead us through this so could you”. We’re always in this together.
Strategy Number Four: Call on your mentor. This is always a good time to call on your mentor. Hopefully, you have a few to call upon. I recommend a mentor outside of your company. You’ll likely be getting guidance, support, and direction from within your company. When connecting with a mentor about your leadership doubts go outside. Not for the reason you might think.
You’re in no way trying to hide this. The reason I recommend going outside your company to get mentorship on your leadership self-doubt is that this mentor will be unbiased. This mentor won’t be going through the change right alongside you. This mentor will have some distance to the issues at hand.
She, or he, can give you perspective on this in a different way than your company mentor will. Both mentors are essential. Work to get guidance and support from a mentor outside your company, especially when it comes to navigating change and having doubts as a leader.
Finally, remember, it’s incredibly common. All leaders have doubts. Embrace all the ways it makes you an even better leader. You’ll grow and your team will experience the best support and guidance.
Are you navigating change as a leader? Ha, When aren’t we? ? Click over to Instagram @yourcrazybigdreams and drop me a note.
Stay the course, my friend. The best is yet to come. Always.
