If you’ve been a leader—in any capacity—whether it’s in a business or sports setting, at home with children, or in your group of friends, you have probably encountered the ankle-biting doubt demon known as fear.

Are you enough? Can you get the job done? Will you make it to your goal, or will you have to secede in front of everyone, being humiliated forever? This is just the short list of questions we ask ourselves as we let doubt overrun us, bleeding into our everyday interactions and, worse, our perception of ourselves.

Oh, here’s another: Others look up to us and look to us for direction. We certainly can’t express our fears outwardly, right?

So how can we grapple with fear and come out on the winning side? How can we let that gremlin know that it might be shredding our socks, but we refuse to let it win the day? In this blog, we are going to uncover these topics and even more, making sure that you have the information you need to keep fear quietly in its place.

Let’s dive in.

Understanding Fear in Leadership

I once heard a wise teacher say that at the core of all human beings lies a wound of unworthiness. It shows up in different ways—self-deprecation, depression, even overcompensation in the form of narcissism or megalomania. The question is, how do we confront it when it spans such extremes? No matter how it shows up for you, you get the same answer: you have to stop believing it’s true.

When you tell yourself you aren’t good enough, strong enough, or capable enough, you disempower yourself and, while it’s hard to hear, it won’t be long before others notice. That belief becomes self-fulfilling, keeping you trapped in a cycle of inadequacy and imposter syndrome. Breaking free starts with rejecting the lie of unworthiness.

It’s not a fluke that you’re in the position you are in. Someone saw your talents and believed in you enough to trust your ability to lead. It’s time for us to trust ourselves.

The Hidden Ways Fear Affects Leadership

When the truth you subscribe to is that you are not good enough, all your efforts will seem more challenging, your relationships will be less fruitful, and your successes will be nowhere near as sweet.

So how do you overcome this self-doubt? To stop believing something, we have to get curious. We have to learn to change our beliefs about it. One technique I use is to challenge all my thoughts of unworthiness with either a question or a statement.

John, you’re never gonna get this done in time. You’ve failed.

But, is that true? It’s not over until it’s over, so I’m gonna keep working as hard as I can and see what happens.

Or, the classic, John, people aren’t going to like you. Who are you to think you’re a leader?

I come back with one of my favorite weapons: Maybe, maybe not. And I leave it at that.

People have a way of seeing the cracks in our confidence without even knowing that’s what they’re doing. This is probably true because they are so acutely aware of their own, but that’s beside the point. The real point is, if you don’t believe in yourself, if you don’t believe that you are worth being a leader, why should anyone else believe in you?

Signs Fear is Influencing Your Leadership Style

Fear can subtly shape how we lead, and recognizing it is the first step toward change. You might see one or two of these behaviors in yourself—or maybe all of them. That’s not failure; it’s an opportunity. Getting curious about these patterns is where the real growth begins.

Fear might be affecting your leadership style if you are…

• Avoiding Difficult Decisions
  What this looks like: Evading tough calls or defaulting to the consensus to sidestep conflict or failure.
• Micromanaging
  What this looks like: Struggling to delegate or obsessing over details to avoid mistakes.
• Resisting Change
  What this looks like: Rejecting new ideas or clinging to the status quo out of fear.
• Avoiding Conflict
  What this looks like: Dodging hard conversations or prioritizing harmony over accountability.
• Being Indecisive
  What this looks like: Overanalyzing decisions or hesitating to take risks.
• Seeking Validation
  What this looks like: Relying on approval or avoiding criticism by withholding strong opinions.
• Blame-shifting
  What this looks like: Deflecting responsibility or reacting poorly to feedback.
• Lacking Transparency
  What this looks like: Withholding information or avoiding vulnerability to maintain control.
• Overprioritizing Perfection
  What this looks like: Setting unrealistic standards or delaying action to ensure flawlessness.

I said it above, but I’ll say it again—regardless of how many ways fear might be affecting your leadership right now, you have the opportunity to change it, and that’s all you need.

Overcoming Fear as a Leader

Overcoming fear is one of the hardest challenges we face in life. Why? Because it feels so real. Our highly evolved fear systems are designed to keep us alive—but in the boardroom, classroom, or at home, they’re rarely as helpful.

You don’t have to believe what fear tells you. Feel it, acknowledge it, but don’t buy into the stories it spins. Staying calm while fear runs rampant in your mind is a powerful skill—and it’s not easy. Fear brings a wave of intense energy that can make you feel shaky, nauseous, or overwhelmed.

So, stay curious. Is that fear really true? Does it mean you have to act or change because of its noise? Maybe. Maybe not.

Inspiring Confidence in Your Team

I have found that one of the best ways to build our own feelings of self-worth and confidence is to always reassure others of theirs. It takes one to know one, so if you can recognize it in others, it must be within you too.

If you take the time to really encourage your team for who they are, affirm their worth toward the company’s efforts and goals, and give them hope for what’s to come, they will likely stay more focused and inspired.

It takes a confident person to reassure others. Confidence is contagious, but it starts with finding what inspires it in yourself so you can share it with those who need it.

Real-World Examples of Fear in Leadership

Fear can subtly influence leadership decisions, often with detrimental effects. Here are some common examples:

1. Fear of Failure
   A CEO avoids investing in new technologies, fearing financial risks, only to see the company fall behind its competitors.
   Impact: Missed opportunities and stagnation.
2. Fear of Conflict
   A team leader avoids addressing toxic behavior, hoping it resolves itself, but morale and productivity suffer instead.
   Impact: Broken trust and ineffective teams.
3. Fear of Rejection
   A marketing director hesitates to propose bold ideas, fearing pushback, resulting in uninspired work that fails to engage.
   Impact: Lost creativity and innovation.
4. Fear of Losing Control
   A manager micromanages everything, leaving team members disengaged and burned out.
   Impact: Low autonomy and high turnover.
5. Fear of Criticism
   A founder avoids outside input to sidestep challenges, leading to stagnant thinking.
   Impact: Limited perspectives and growth.
6. Fear of Uncertainty
   During a downturn, a leader delays critical decisions, leaving the company unprepared and vulnerable.
   Impact: Paralysis and deeper losses.
7. Fear of Vulnerability
   A leader refuses to admit mistakes, discouraging open communication and employee trust.
   Impact: A culture of silence, resentment, and missed opportunities.
8. Fear of Change
   An executive resists flexible work models, losing top talent to more adaptive competitors.
   Impact: Reduced competitiveness and innovation.

These examples illustrate how fear can impact leadership decisions and organizational health. Recognizing and addressing these fears allows leaders to foster resilience, innovation, and trust within their teams.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been talking about fear quite a lot in the past few months. The truth is, it’s one of the hottest topics out there. Do you know why? Because it’s a universal, human emotion that we all grapple with.

Even successful leaders.

So, whether you’re a top exec afraid to make big moves, a manager at the local McDonald’s worried about how your team feels about you, or a housewife just trying not to drown while raising three kids, I hope you’ll remember this: Overcoming fear and learning to live with it comfortably can come down to your curiosity about its validity in your life. Some concepts you just choose to reject, and that’s that.

I’ll see you at the top because the bottom sure is crowded.

Have you signed up for updates for my new book, Turn Your Fear Into Fuel? I can’t wait to share it with you!