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Writer's pictureSylvia

4 Top challenges Leaders often face ... but rarely admit

Being in a leadership role, such as becoming a manager, a director or even a board member can be exiting but also stressful. Either it’s a promotion or a move to a different organization people will rush to congratulate you but none can guarantee that the floor around you will not drop out right after. People expect you to be strong, manage people effectively, deliver exponential results and so much more. And you do, but you can also have your difficult moments, and your fears like every other human being.


Below are top challenges leaders often face and rarely admit.


1. Loneliness. It takes a lot of effort and time to get to a leadership role. Sometimes you even have to relocate to a different city or country for the right position. How does this feel? Work holds a great part of your life and focus, leaving limited space to build meaningful relationships and real friendships. At home, if you have a partner, might not have a business experience similar to yours so it can be hard to understand you or provide you some meaningful ideas.


2. Fear of failure. ‘’What if I don’t succeed? ...What if I don’t meet the goals? … ’’ the responsibilities and the high expectations can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if lack of stability in the market prevails. Just because you are a Director or a CEO doesn’t mean that you are or you have to be fearless. Talking about these fears with a professional, can help you understand if they are linked to something within you or the goals that you are targeting are not realistic.


3. Imposture Syndrome. ‘’I’m not good enough…I need to work more … I need to be perfect…’’ Does this sound familiar? High achievers and overperformers are often tortured by similar thoughts and sometimes can be hard to understand that it’s a roadblock to their success, as it can be mistakenly considered a driver for more results. In leadership though main ask is to motivate people, delegate, inspire and support instead of always having the right answer or ‘’bringing the numbers’’, so this can be the time that all these thoughts can pop up and hunt you.


4. Navigating Business Politics. The higher you climb the leadership ladder the more work politics you have to deal with. Sometimes it might be more difficult than others to observe and understand the dynamics of the organization specially if you are new in the company. Who to talk to or who to trust to help you get a more clear picture of the situation and craft the strategy to achieve your objectives?


If you are facing one or more of the above challenges, it’s normal and is part of your professional growth journey. Deciding not to sustain it and take action can help you grow further as a leader. However, you don’t have to go through this by yourself, you don’t have to be alone. Top CEO’s and professionals who target leadership roles, do look for the right coach or mentor, to support them overcome similar challenges. A coach or a mentor with a strong business background can relate, can ask the right questions and it’s someone you can trust as you share the same goals.

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