We have this persistent, somewhat exhausting image of the ‘confident leader’.
They walk into the boardroom with absolute certainty. They know every answer. They speak decisively. They never second-guess themselves. And when self-doubt inevitably creeps in, the immediate assumption is that something has gone terribly wrong.
Perhaps they aren’t experienced enough. Perhaps they need to work on their confidence.
But what if that assumption is entirely backward?
What if the more mature form of confidence is the ability to lead effectively while doubt, ambiguity, and pressure are still actively in the room?
The Science Behind the “Impostor”
Let’s look at the actual data. Recent research from Durham University Business School explores a fascinating concept they term a “leader impostorism paradox mindset”. The premise challenges our standard corporate narrative, showing that feelings of self-doubt and a legitimate leadership identity can actually be held together at the exact same time.
Rather than treating impostor feelings as a disease you must eliminate, emerging research suggests this doubt can serve as highly useful developmental data. It often correlates with humility, self-awareness, and a genuine openness to learning.
Now, let’s be pragmatic about this. Persistent, crippling self-doubt isn’t helpful. But there is a massive difference between two internal statements:
“I am experiencing doubt.”
versus
“My doubt proves that I am not capable.”
The first is simply a data point. The second is a final verdict. They are not the same thing.
The Trap of Eliminating Doubt
Here is what happens when leaders believe they have to eradicate doubt before they can act. They get stuck. They seek more information. Then another opinion. Then a final risk check. Then they revisit the decision one last time.
The irony? The desperate attempt to feel more certain actually makes them less decisive.
Leadership rarely provides perfect certainty. The more senior the role, the more frequently you are required to make commercial decisions with incomplete information. The central question of executive leadership isn’t “How can I know I’m right?” It is “How can I make the best judgement available to me with what I know today?”
Fragile vs. Grounded Confidence
There are two distinct operating models worth naming clearly.
Fragile Confidence demands that you avoid doubt. It says:
- I need to feel certain.
- I need to know the perfect answer.
- I cannot afford to get this wrong.
- If I feel doubt, I must not be ready.
Grounded Confidence is entirely different. It says:
- I can notice doubt without being overwhelmed by it.
- I can test my judgement and challenge my own assumptions.
- I can make a decision and act with uncertainty.
Right now, access to answers is increasing exponentially. That means technical authority alone is no longer enough to make you a successful executive. The ability to judge, influence, and act under severe ambiguity is what makes a leader truly valuable today.
There is a real danger in asking leaders to perform certainty when certainty simply doesn’t exist. You end up with leaders who sound highly confident but stop listening to challenge. That isn’t grounded confidence. It is just bad acting.
True, mature confidence means trusting your judgement without pretending certainty.
The Practical Reality: How to Trust Your Judgement
When you are under pressure, here is what trusting your judgement actually looks like in practice.
1. Notice it
Don’t immediately push the doubt away. Ask yourself what you are actually worried about.
2. Test it
Is there hard evidence behind this concern, or is it an inherited assumption? What advice would you give to a peer in exactly the same situation?
3. Separate feeling from capability
You can be uncertain and highly capable at the exact same time. You can not know something and still be the absolute right person to lead the project.
4. Decide and adapt
A commercial decision does not have to be perfect to be useful. Sometimes the best decision is simply the most logical one available with the data you have today. If the market changes, you adapt. That isn’t failure. That is leadership.
Why This Changes the Coaching Conversation
This is exactly why my executive coaching practice is so heavily focused on Leadership Confidence Under Pressure.
Most highly experienced UK directors do not need somebody to tell them to “believe in themselves.” They have decades of hard evidence proving their capability. What they actually need is a confidential space to examine the heavy identity they are carrying.
When my clients are overwhelmed, I ask them a very specific question: What are you carrying because the situation requires it? And what are you carrying because your identity as a leader tells you that you should?
Do you need to be certain before you speak? Or can you act, and allow the confidence to build through the execution?
The next time you experience that familiar wobble of self-doubt, don’t automatically ask how to get rid of it. Ask what it is telling you, and what you want to do with that information.
Because confident leadership isn’t about becoming someone who never doubts themselves. It is becoming someone who can notice the doubt, test their judgement, and still move forward.
Your Next Step
If you are a senior leader navigating the gap between how capable you are and how capable you feel, let’s talk.
Book a free 20-minute leadership conversation and let’s explore what grounded confidence looks like for you right now.
Ute Thomas is a former Regional Director at Lidl and ILM Level 7 certified executive coach. She works with senior leaders on the challenges that logic alone can’t solve.
