Why So Many Women Who Lead Don't Believe They are Good at Leading | E190

Have you ever felt unsure about your leadership instincts? Do you question your decisions because they don’t align with traditional expectations? In this episode of Leadership is Feminine, Kris Plachy dives into the challenges women face when self-doubt creeps in and disrupts their confidence as leaders. She examines why so many women, despite their success, find it difficult to trust their intuition, especially when navigating the complexities of leading a team. Kris highlights a powerful truth: “The common theme of the women that I work with has nothing to do with skill or ability, but has everything to do with what I would call learned self-doubt.” Through this lens, she explores how conditioning erodes confidence and teaches women to second-guess their instincts, even when they have proven their capabilities time and time again. Kris emphasizes the importance of breaking these cycles by embracing self-belief and standing firm in your vision—even when it feels isolating or unconventional. She redefines leadership as an act of nurturing accountability, showing that feminine leadership is not about pleasing others but about setting clear boundaries and holding people—including yourself—accountable to their commitments. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re “doing it wrong” simply because you’re doing it differently, this episode offers validation, empowerment, and actionable insights to reclaim your confidence as a leader. Join Kris to discover how embracing your instincts and breaking old cycles can not only transform your leadership but inspire others to do the same. Key Takeaways From This Episode Challenges for Women in Leadership: Societal conditioning leading to self-doubt in adult women. Self-Doubt Arising When Scaling and Needing a Team The Impact of External Opinions: Exposure to differing opinions leads to women questioning their mission and leadership ability. Encouraging Women to Trust Their Personal Intuition and Decisions Misconceptions Around Accountability in Leadership Encouragement for Breaking Cycles of Self-Doubt and Setting an Example of Self-Belief Contact Information and Recommended Resources Get Access to LEAD LESSONS Have questions? Want more details about the ways we support women Visionary Founders? Visit www.thevisionary.ceo. Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest

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For most women, when we are invited to study leadership the teachers, scholars, authorities and models are primarily… men. We are indoctrinated from the time we are born that men are the leaders and that natural male characteristics are the strengths you must also possess to be a good leader. Powerful. Strong. Authoritative. Direct. Assertive. Decisive. These and so many more are attributes that are typically associated with the male model of a leader. And so, for the better part of the last one hundred years as women have made their way into the fold, in a variety of leadership roles, we have learned and studied to walk the way of a men to achieve success. Women dismiss their own knowing because we’ve been so indoctrinated in male leadership models. We dismiss what we know for what others tell us to be and how to be seen. There is another way to lead. To be in alignment. To not feel like an imposter. It’s time for the reimagining of leadership. That’s not to disparage any of the progress that has come before us. Progress is progress. For those of us who stand in the footsteps of the women who came before us we are here because of their courage, bravery and resilience. I wonder instead if women equally looked to the characteristics they learned from their mothers for leadership. I wonder if we were taught to lean on different qualities to drive success. I wonder what might happen then? The traditional qualities of mothering are communication, nurturing, listening, strength, support, grace, and yes… love. What if to be the best leader you can be as a woman, you integrated the best of both? This is how women will stand with integrity in their role as leaders. As women, we can be assertive, direct, powerful, and authoritative but we need not only rely on those attributes for success. After 25 years of watching and studying leaders, I can tell you that for sure many traditional male attributes are effective in the short run, but they typically only serve a few. Whereas, when leadership is feminine. When the leader possesses the strengths of femininity and grace the results are for all. This podcast is my like my gentle request and invitation to my fellow female leaders that we reclaim the world leadership as one that is a feminine definition. That we continue to work with all of our allies to build organizations and systems that include more support, collaboration, grace and communication. And that we do so not because we are uncomfortable with the more traditional male-dominating models, but because we truly do know that leadership is a feminine strength and attribute. And the world needs more of us leading. Now more than ever.