How to succeed as a new manager

by Laura Weldy | Aug 29, 2022 | Uncategorized

Stepping into a management role marks a significant shift in one’s career. New managers are expected to navigate the complexities of leading teams, driving results, and balancing strategic objectives with everyday tasks. The transition often comes with hurdles, from mastering new skills to managing interpersonal dynamics within the team.

One of the most common hurdles for new leaders to manage is impostor syndrome.

“Impostor syndrome happens when we allow other people’s perceptions of us to overshadow our own. ” -Laura Weldy

1. Understanding Impostor Syndrome: A Common Hurdle for New Managers

Impostor Syndrome, a psychological pattern, often acts as a roadblock in the path of new managers. This phenomenon is characterized by persistent doubts about one’s abilities and achievements, accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. Despite external evidence of their competence, those experiencing this syndrome remain convinced that they do not deserve all they have achieved. They attribute their success to luck, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent than they perceive themselves to be.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, roughly 70% of people experience impostor syndrome at some point in their life. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent among new managers and women leaders, with studies indicating that around 75% of female executives experience feelings of self-doubt in their professional roles.

Despite its prevalence, impostor syndrome remains largely unaddressed in traditional management training programs, highlighting the need for specialized programs like the Confident Leader Collective that are tailored to address this common hurdle. In fact, participants of the Confident Leader Collective program have reported a significant decrease in self-doubt and a marked increase in confidence and leadership skills after completion.

How do you know if you’re experiencing impostor syndrome?

Symptoms of Impostor Syndrome

Symptoms of impostor syndrome may include:

• Reluctance in making important decisions
• Excessive worry over minor mistakes
• Fear of not meeting high expectations
• Difficulty accepting praise or recognition

Such manifestations can hinder a manager’s performance, impairing their confidence and negatively affecting their relationships with team members.

Factors Contributing to Impostor Syndrome among Women Leaders

Several factors contribute to the prevalence of impostor syndrome among women leaders. These include:

1. Societal Expectations: Long-standing societal norms often place unrealistic expectations on women, leading them to question their abilities.
2. Workplace Dynamics: Unequal representation, pay gaps, and gender biases in the workplace can exacerbate feelings of self-doubt.
3. Perfectionism: Women are often conditioned to strive for perfection, causing them to feel inadequate when they cannot meet these impossible standards.

The Impact of Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome can have severe repercussions on a woman leader’s performance and mental health. It can:

• Erode confidence: Constantly doubting one’s capabilities can severely impact a woman leader’s self-esteem and belief in her ability to lead.
• Hinder risk-taking: The fear of being exposed as a “fraud” may prevent women leaders from taking necessary risks or making bold decisions.
• Trigger stress and anxiety: The constant pressure to perform perfectly can lead to chronic stress and anxiety.

By recognizing these unique challenges, women leaders can take steps to overcome impostor syndrome and other hurdles, fostering resilience and confidence in their leadership roles.

Strategies to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

There are many different approaches to overcome impostor syndrome, but most of these approaches (such as ‘fake it ’til you make it’) don’t consider the unique positioning of women in the workplace.

The Confident Leader Collective program offers practical strategies designed to help new managers overcome impostor syndrome in a way that feels supportive to you. Some key strategies include:

Reframing Negative Thoughts

Encouraging new managers to challenge and change their damaging thought patterns.

Seeking Support

Promoting the importance of seeking advice and guidance from mentors or peers. Remembering that everyone experiences doubts and fears at some point can help reduce feelings of isolation.

The Confident Leader Collective program is a nurturing environment where new managers feel validated and supported. By fostering this positive atmosphere, the program aims to empower new female leaders to confidently step into their roles without the shadow of self-doubt.

In this journey towards confident leadership, understanding and addressing impostor syndrome serves as an essential first step. Through conscious efforts and guided support such as the Confident Leader Collective program, new managers can learn to navigate these challenges and build a foundation for successful leadership.

2. Developing Essential Leadership Skills

Stepping into a managerial role demands not just a new title but a shift in mindset, particularly when it comes to confidence and communication skills. These are the cornerstones that support every decision, interaction, and the overall atmosphere within a team.

Building Confidence

For new managers, confidence might seem like an elusive trait. Yet, it’s cultivated through deliberate actions:

1. Setting Achievable Goals: Start with clear, manageable objectives that align with your role’s responsibilities. The satisfaction of meeting these targets fuels self-assurance.
2. Celebrating Small Wins: Acknowledge both personal achievements and team milestones. Recognition of progress is a powerful confidence booster.
3. Visualizing Success: Envisioning positive outcomes for tasks and interactions can actually enhance performance and self-belief.

Communication Skills: The Managerial Lifeline

Effective communication is the lifeblood of strong leadership. It sets the tone for relationships and determines how well a team functions.

1. Conveying Ideas Clearly: Be concise and articulate; complex jargon can alienate team members. Use visuals or stories to make your points more relatable.
2. Active Listening: Engage with what your team says, showing genuine interest. This not only garners respect but also provides valuable insights.
3. Providing Constructive Feedback: Balance honesty with empathy. Aim to guide rather than criticize, turning feedback sessions into opportunities for growth.

By focusing on these areas, new managers can cultivate an environment of transparency and mutual respect, where every voice is valued and the path to collective success is clear. With each step forward in developing these skills, leaders solidify their ability to guide their teams toward shared goals with clarity and purpose.

3. Leveraging Your Leadership Style for Impact

Understanding and defining leadership style is a critical step for new managers aiming to leave a lasting impact. It’s the distinctive way you motivate people, make decisions, and provide direction. Identifying your particular style is not about fitting into a box but rather harnessing your unique strengths to lead authentically and effectively.

Different Types of Leadership Styles

When considering different leadership styles, think of them as tools in a toolbox. Many popular styles of leadership are based on the experience of men in the workplace, and don’t take into consideration how women leaders may desire to show up differently. In fact, there are five essential elements to developing a powerful leadership style as a woman leader:

1. Influence: Your executive presence style & energetic signature
2. Impetus: Identifying your key motivators in workplace projects
3. Processing Strategy: How you make decisions
4. Creative Style: Your creative approach to your work
5. Impact Desire: How you hope to influence your team members as their leader

Knowing these components of your leadership style allows you to not only manage yourself effectively, but understand how you can best help the people you manage.

4. Building High-Performing Teams through Collaboration and Delegation

Team building and delegation are two essential keywords that encapsulate the core responsibilities of a new manager. As a leader, your role in shaping an efficient, collaborative, and positive team culture is paramount. This involves recognizing the strengths of each individual and fostering an environment where diverse talents can thrive together.

Fostering Collaboration

Collaboration is not just about getting things done together. It’s about cultivating a shared sense of purpose and developing strong relationships within the team. This can be achieved by:

1. Hosting regular team-building activities to enhance interpersonal relationships
2. Encouraging open communication and idea-sharing sessions
3. Recognizing and appreciating each team member’s unique contributions

By promoting a collaborative culture, you not only boost team morale but also encourage innovative problem-solving.

Recognizing Individual Strengths

Recognizing individual strengths means understanding what each team member brings to the table. It’s about acknowledging their skills, experiences, and perspectives – all of which contribute to the collective strength of the team.

To achieve this:

1. Schedule one-on-one sessions with each team member to understand their career aspirations, strengths, and areas for improvement
2. Use these insights to assign roles/tasks that match their skills and interests
3. Publicly acknowledge their accomplishments to motivate them and build self-confidence

Mastering the Art of Delegation

Delegation might seem straightforward but can prove challenging for many new managers. It requires trust in your team’s capabilities and letting go of the urge to control every detail.

Here are some best practices:

• Identify tasks that can be delegated based on your understanding of individual strengths
• Clearly communicate expectations, deadlines, and resources available for each task
• Provide feedback constructively to encourage learning and improvement
• Empower team members by giving them ownership of tasks and decision-making autonomy

Handling delegation effectively not only frees up your time for strategic thinking but also aids in developing your team’s skills and self-confidence.

Through collaboration and delegation, new managers can create a high-performing team where every member feels valued and motivated to contribute their best. This approach forms the foundation of an empowering and inclusive leadership style that can propel you towards managerial success.

5. Introducing the Confident Leader Collective mastermind for new women leaders

Confident Leader Collective is a live group coaching program designed to specifically address the challenges that women leaders experience, head on.

This private mastermind is a six month journey to embodied confidence as a new manager. If we accept your application, we will pair you with a carefully curated cohort of other women managers that will help you grow and develop while holding you accountable to the goals you declare at the beginning of the program.

What You’ll Get:

• Access to your cohort via text
• Monthly 90 min deep dive coaching sessions where Laura teaches and offers live hotseat executive coaching to help you deal with the unique career challenges you’re currently facing!
• Themed workbooks full of journaling prompts, templates, and resources to work through on your own time as you learn about confidence, communication skills, and leadership presence.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey as a new manager demands both courage and continuous growth. Recognizing impostor syndrome not as a barrier, but as a common experience to navigate, is the first stride towards new manager success. Coupled with developing leadership skills such as communication, goal setting, and celebrating achievements, managers can craft a foundation of confidence.

For women leaders, embracing their unique leadership styles empowers them to forge paths that resonate deeply with their values and vision. By doing so, they inspire and drive their teams toward excellence.

The Confident Leader Collective stands as a beacon for these trailblazing individuals. This program offers:

1. Live group coaching, providing real-time guidance and support
2. Cohort companionship, allowing for shared experiences and learning
3. Themed workbooks to encourage introspection and strategic planning
4. Personal Power Code, a systemic approach to helping each leader define their strongest leadership attributes

Remember, the journey to effective management is not solitary. With resources like the Confident Leader Collective, new women managers are equipped with the tools necessary to not just navigate but excel in their roles. Embrace the challenge with the assurance that with the right mindset and support systems in place, commanding success becomes an attainable reality.

Learn about our next live cohort and join the waitlist here!

Series: 4 Ways Fear Responses Impact Our Work

by Laura Weldy | Aug 15, 2022 | Uncategorized

There’s so much fear and uncertainty that takes root when we see major companies conduct layoffs and hear newscasters talk about the possible impending doom of an economic recession. And the truth is something far more nuanced. Yes – our economy is in a state of flux (as it always is) but that doesn’t necessarily mean your career will be directly impacted. This kind of scenario creates fear in us because it threatens what we think of as our security…the biweekly paycheck gives us structure and stability and even the tiniest threat of losing that puts us into fear.

Add to that the pressure of supporting a family or juggling other responsibilities, and the fear puts us into self-protective mode really quickly. 

That’s totally normal – but I’m here to tell you that fear is not useful. Fear causes us to contract and shrink, hoping that we will get through the scenario unnoticed. But in a season of perceived job instability this can easily create a self fulfilling prophecy. There are four major ways that I see fear impacting the careers of women in the corporate world. I’m breaking those down this month and sharing a solution that helps you expand, instead.

FEAR RESPONSE 1: WHEN WE FEEL FEAR, ANXIETY OR UNCERTAINTY AT WORK WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO QUIET OUR OWN VOICE.

We speak up less in meetings, we are less willing to voice contradictory opinions or give honest feedback. Our brain convinces us that being seen and not heard is the solution to this problem and that speaking up (especially in contradiction to others!) is just unnecessarily rocking the boat.

We become so afraid of saying the wrong thing, of the power of our voice…that we stop using it all. 

But a great employer will never hold you using your voice powerfully  against you. In fact, your opinion and approach is part of the value you bring to your position – so you need to be able to communicate that value effectively. The minute you stop speaking up at work  is the moment you start to be seen as non participatory and potentially disposable in the workplace. You obviously don’t want to become known as a complainer, but you can avoid that negative perception by learning  confident communication skills. 

SOLUTION: CONFIDENT COMMUNICATION SKILL GROWTH

In Confident Leader Collective we focus an entire month on confident communication skills because it’s so vital to the success of women in corporate leadership. You must be able to show up as a champion for yourself, which means confidently sharing and emphasizing the value you’re creating. You also must be able to communicate with confidence and empathy to those you manage, and be able to communicate with all levels of stakeholders. 

At their core, confident communication skills entail:

• Knowing when and how to contribute

• Understanding the superpower that is having a different perspective from others, even if it makes you occasionally feel like an outsider

• Having a cohesive strategy for verbal, written and nonverbal communication in an increasingly remote working world

• Understanding the gendered nuances of how we communicate

• Overcoming the discomfort of not knowing every answer

• Making others feel heard and valued

• Staying true to your authentic self with a voice that is true to you

If you’ve noticed that any time you hit a bump in your career (missed a promotion, economic insecurity making you fearful, etc) you tend to quiet your voice – now is the time to take action to unlearn this fear response and develop confident communication skills. Click here to learn more and apply for the leadership incubator designed for modern women leaders at work! Enrollment closes Sunday, September 11th!

FEAR RESPONSE 2: WE REFLEXIVELY BEGIN TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHERS AND DOUBT OUR VALUE.

This fear response is your brain trying to keep you safe. Your brain thinks that if it can identify the ways you potentially fall short before others notice them, you can fix them and remove any potential threat your fear has created.

Unfortunately, we often don’t know when to stop and we definitely don’t counterbalance this assessment with acknowledgement of our strengths. Even if you’ve always considered yourself a confident person, comparison is the quickest way to begin doubting your value at work and eroding your confidence. 

The frustrating thing about this is that there’s nothing we can do to become the perfect employee or team leader – there’s always another opportunity for growth that we could have pursued. But trying to fix any perceived gaps in our skill set and knowledge means that we’re thinking everyday about our deficiencies, and giving ourselves less time to operate from our strengths.

SOLUTION: HYPERFOCUS ON THE EVIDENCE OF YOUR VALUE & LEAD WITH YOUR VALUE, FIRST.

Instead of spending all of your time considering the ways in which you’ve decided you fall short…start gathering that same level of evidence for why what you do and how you do it is valuable. We facilitate this process in Confident Leader Collective by using my proprietary leadership strengths process called The Personal Power Code. Over several months, you’ll begin to identify your leadership strengths and how to use those more effectively. Once you begin to see those traits as truly valuable, you’ll structure your days around working with yourself and those gifts – which will make your work that much more powerful. 

You’ll stop comparing yourself to others and instead focus on differentiating yourself and standing out for your excellence. Click here to learn more and apply for the leadership incubator designed for modern women leaders at work! 

FEAR RESPONSE 3: WE PLAY THE WHAT IF GAME AND ISOLATE OURSELVES SO THAT OTHERS DON’T KNOW WE’RE FEELING INSECURE IN OUR ROLE.

When we feel uncertain, anxious or fearful about our next steps in our career, we tend to isolate. We feel shame for not knowing exactly what the next step looks like, or we are anxious because we’re constantly playing the ‘what if’ game – what if the economy collapses? What if layoffs happen at my company? What if I lose everything?

We think if we just don’t voice our concerns and fears, they’ll go away. Instead they build up and cause us to feel stuck in a dreadful loop.

We’re nervous to reach out to our network because we don’t want to cause other people to see us as unclear or uncertain. We keep hoping a solution will fall into our lap.

SOLUTION: CULTIVATE TRUE, UPLIFTING COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE WITH YOUR CAREER VULNERABILITIES AND OFFER YOU OTHER PERSPECTIVES. 

Networking is a dreaded term for so many corporate women, because it often feels disingenuous and forced. But finding a community of like minded, high achieving women who have similar goals can be absolutely transformative for your career. 

Think about this: What if you could reach out to a group of those women, those who inspire and support you, and ask for their feedback on a tough leadership situation? What if you could ask for ideas on where to go next with your career direction? If you could ask them for any insight into their experiences – without worrying that all of these requests will find their way back to your boss, because the community is external?

You deserve to have a community that supports you, and research shows that high performing women often rely on a small network of other women to get ahead in their careers. If you’re unsure how to go about cultivating such a mastermind, I have great news for you: that’s exactly why I created Confident Leader Collective! You can step right into a powerfully curated community and start getting support immediately. 

FEAR RESPONSE 4: WE DIAL BACK OUR DREAMS, THINKING WE NEED TO BE MORE REALISTIC.

Dialing back our dreams feels like the most logical choice when we’re feeling uncertain or fearful about job security. Who are we, after all, to want more? We should be thankful to just get a paycheck.

Hell no! 

Despite some economic fluctuation, economists say that this job market is still in favor of employees. This is not the time to dial back your career desires and play it small. You deserve so much more than a paycheck – you deserve to feel challenged, valued and fulfilled by your work. If you want to be promoted, climb the corporate leadership ladder, or manage people with excellence – do it!  Instead, it’s time to get radically clear on what those dreams are and to start building structures for yourself to succeed at them.

SOLUTION: TAKE BOLD ACTION.

We all know the saying that if you want different results, you need to take different actions. It applies to our career move as well. If you’re unhappy in any capacity at work, it’s time to take a new approach. Propose a stretch assignment, take on a special initiative, or even limit your workload through radically prioritizing and then delivering excellent results. I like to call this type of behavior a pattern interrupt – a task that interrupts your typical pattern of day to day life, and lets you see new opportunities and experience new experiences. This is key to getting yourself out of any kind of work related rut! 

It also proves that you’re tenacious, create and self-directive to your boss. It’s an opportunity to prove that you know how to take initiative and that you’re a solution focused employee. This is the perfect chance to point directly to value you create for the company, and to build your confidence in your ability to take higher levels of leadership on.

Ultimately, it’s more powerful to be seen trying than to be seen ‘quietly quitting.’ 

Instead of quietly quitting, try taking bold action by getting a career support team on your side with Confident Leader Collective, a modern leadership incubator for career women. Building your confidence, identifying your leadership style & practicing coaching skills will all set you apart as an ambitious individual and help to counteract any fear telling you to scale down your dreams.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ALL THE DETAILS AND JOIN CONFIDENT LEADER COLLECTIVE!

8 ways to recession-proof your career

by Laura Weldy | Jul 22, 2022 | Uncategorized

There’s a lot of fear and anxiety floating around  in the corporate world right now. Fear of losing your job to layoffs, anxiety about office norms and expectations being constantly in flux, and most recently – fear of a possible pending recession and how that might impact your employment status.

Of course that’s anxiety inducing! Just the whisper of the word recession is enough to tear a giant hole in the illusion of stability that so many of us tie to our jobs.

The best advice I can give as a career and leadership coach is to take steps NOW to recession proof your career through professional development.

I am not saying that taking a few LinkedIn courses means you’re guaranteed a job come 2023. But if you focus on the ideas below you’ll know you’ve done everything you can to be indispensable.

Areas of focus to recession proof your career:

• Deliver your role with excellence. Pretty obvious – but still!

• Revisit the job description of your role and of the role you next aspire to. Make sure you’re meeting all of the aspects of your role, not just the ones your team prioritizes.

• Get help to create an action plan designed around measurable integration of any feedback you’ve received about your performance, presence and relationship building skills. Also take an honest self assessment of areas of weakness that you could set mini goals around.

• Make a point to connect in a genuine manner for cross-collaboration. Be generous with your time and expertise when possible.

• TRACK YOUR SUCCESSES. Seriously. Take note of milestones you reach, projects you complete, positive feedback and even powerful conversations/scenarios you’ve tackled.

• Invest in your career. If you’re curious how leadership coaching can help you do allllll of these and more, click here to apply for a free call to discuss! A powerful leadership coach can help you reach these goals more quickly than you would on your own, and with more insight and strategy.

• Always be looking to the future. Challenge yourself to think three steps ahead of everyone and have clear goals and a strategy to positively move the most important KPIs for the coming quarters.

• Ask for opportunities and insight. You don’t need to volunteer for every side project, but do propose one that is valuable to the company and aligns with your interests and long term career goals.

I hope that this post inspires you to take your career into your own hands and make an effort to stand out for your excellence.

If you need support developing a plan to recession-proof your career, click here to discuss with me directly.

When should I hire a leadership coach? What does a leadership coach do?

by Laura Weldy | Jul 19, 2022 | Uncategorized

How your mindset is stunting your growth

Today’s blog is designed to help you navigate the ‘someday syndrome’ so present in individuals looking to hire a leadership coach or career success coach.

If you’re a professional woman with big goals, I know that it’s tempting to follow every career and leadership coach on Instagram in order to learn how to be as confident, collected and successful as them. I know it’s easy to read emails and blogs, take tons of notes on free webinars and read every book on confident leadership you can get your hands on. If you just study hard enough, you think, you’ll find what you need. 

You might be thinking: 

“I’m not the type of person who hires a coach.” 

“That’s not for people like me.” 

“I’m not in a serious enough leadership position yet.” 

“There’s no way I could ever afford that.”

“Someday I’ll work with her – but I’m not ready yet.” → the someday syndrome that convinces us a later time will feel right.

Spoiler: it never feels like you’ve arrived at someday.

I love free resources and I provide you with a TON to help you grow. But there is absolutely a cap on how much growth can happen with free resources because you are one of a kind.

Free tools are designed to be as helpful to as many people as possible – but without getting into the nitty gritty of your career challenges, overcoming your unique limiting beliefs, and being coached through the exact conversations and obstacles you encounter…you’re not going anywhere.

You won’t feel more confident, collected and successful – you’ll most likely just feel more overwhelmed.

I am no mind reader – but I bet you’re thinking “Yes, but…” and justifying these reasons to yourself right now. Your brilliant brain prefers stasis over change, because stasis is familiar. In other words, you’ll always have 1000 reasons why the time isn’t right for you to try something new.

Today I want to challenge you to consider that doing something new is always going to feel a little edgy and even uncharacteristic of you. Therein lies the possibility for major life and career-changing transformation. When we shake up our behavior, our mindset and our strategy, we shake up our results too!

Signs you’re ready for leadership coaching

You are most likely ready to invest in a leadership coach if you are:

• Feeling dissatisfied with your current position or company 

• Moving into a new role in the next 3-6 months

• Noticing that your lack of confidence is holding you back from being promoted or hired elsewhere

• An expert in your role to the point that it all feels routine and mundane and you’re lacking your spark to stay engaged at work

• Managing people for the first or tenth time – each role has a unique team that will present you with unique challenges you need help navigating

• Receiving feedback that doesn’t feel constructive OR that you’re unsure how to change

• In a mindset of understanding that anything you invest into your career will create new returns of equal if not greater value

You are most likely not ready to invest in a leadership coach if you are:

• Happy complaining about your role and don’t want constructive help to change things

• Still deciding what you want to do in your career (this is more career or job search coaching)

• Lacking urgency to change your current situation – you’re fine phoning it in for a few more years

If you see yourself in the first list – my challenge to you is to reach out today by emailing me at laura@lauraweldy.com. In the email, share 3 things you’re looking to change about your career and life – and I’ll reply ASAP with a few tips and an invite to talk! Be sure to use the subject line CHALLENGE so your email is flagged as a priority!

If you feel uncertain, nervous nor shy about reaching out – great! That’s a sign from your subconscious that you’re ready for something bigger and are on the right path. One of my coaching mentors used to say that hiring a coach is most people’s very first breakthrough – and I couldn’t agree more! Taking a chance on yourself and investing in your own growth takes a lot of courage, and making a bold move like this always guarantees big shifts in your life.

The #1 mistake new women leaders make

by Laura Weldy | Jul 8, 2022 | Uncategorized

I got a new leadership position: now what?

Every leadership position is a new adventure – especially if that role involves managing others. Whether this is your first leadership position or your fifth, it will likely require some flexibility and adaptation on your part. You were selected from a field of candidates because the company believes you to be uniquely situated to this role and this team.

So everything should be smooth, confident sailing – right? Wrong. Impostor syndrome shows up when we move up the ladder and starts to convince us that our success is a fluke. We start to question and wonder exactly how we made it through the selection process when other individuals were obviously so much more talented or worthy of the role than we are. Instead of accepting the recognition and embracing this opportunity, we start to build an outlandish narrative in our mind that we’re masters of deception that snuck our way into the corner office. 😂

The #1 mistake new leaders make

But I don’t want you to make the #1 mistake I see new or experienced leaders make: devaluing their experience and expertise under the guise of humility.

Humility is a wonderful trait! But when humility shows up in excess, it’s easy for it to waterfall into self doubt – believing that your insight and your experience aren’t as objectively valuable as the insight and experience of everyone else at the table. Women leaders may be especially prone to excess humility because women are often encouraged to be humble and gracious. You’ll know you’re headed over this waterfall when you start to tell yourself:

• “I need to get my MBA.”

• “I should stay up late reviewing those reports so I don’t look foolish and uninformed.”

• “Let me re-read this email for the fifth time to make sure I didn’t say anything stupid.”

How and why to address self-doubt head on

If this is you, you’ve managed to turn an opportunity into a liability. Instead, choose to see that the backpack full of knowledge and skills you bring to this role is the exact one that is needed.

• List out the ways that you are uniquely situated to rock this position.

• Accept that you’re not going to be the top performer in every single area, and in fact that it’s not your job to be the top performer.

• Work with a leadership coach to develop true, lasting confidence and energetic hygiene techniques that will allow you to be more in control of your mind.

• Practice confident communication skills and delivery

• Make aligned decisions and stick to habits that support your overall vision

• Identify your gifts and actively shift as many activities as possible to be done through the lens of your strengths.

What does a women’s leadership coach do for me?

Your job as a leader is to listen, ask questions, steer confidently, and develop others. You cannot do these things effectively if  you’re spending your days worrying about being ‘found out’ as a fraud. If you’ll let me – I can help. I used to be in the same place!

In fact, I once had a supervisor write in my annual review that “Laura’s leadership ability is limited only by her willingness to put herself out there.” I had to do the hard work to learn all of these skills and confidence myself – so I know they work – and I want to save you some of the time and heartache with a shortcut directly to the results.

So if you’re ready to make moves and a hell of an impression in your first 6 months in your new role, click here to Apply for Powerhouse my leadership intensive designed to give you everything you need to step into confident leadership in a single day.