From hesitating to confident leadership
Client Case Study: Senior advisor Beatrice moved from feeling the pressure in a new leadership role to taking space, signing new deals and gaining visibility, ultimately being offered a new regional role.
Beatrice (*) has worked at a development finance institution for the last ten years. Having showcased her technical expertise, she moved through the ranks quickly. She earned the promotion she was working so hard for: the role of senior advisor, leading a dedicated department.
Despite her track record, Beatrice felt pressured by the new role. She found herself scrutinizing her contributions and hesitated to execute her ideas. She feared not being taken seriously because she was younger than her senior peers. She was now a decision-maker when previously she could ask for guidance or support. Her biggest fear was not living up to the expectations.
“I’m telling myself people don’t take me seriously because I look young.” - Beatrice
Coaching was her space to explore what she needed to do to build confidence, quiet self-doubt, and step fully into her role. Our coaching focus was practical and personal: develop leadership presence, navigate office politics, and grow visibility with senior stakeholders - while addressing the inner critic holding her back.
Our work in coaching focused on four areas:
1. Quieting her inner critic through mental fitness
Beatrice joined my six-week mental fitness training via Positive Intelligence™ to identify the self-sabotaging behaviours that prevented her from showing up fully.
Through structured reflection and targeted exercises, Beatrice began to dissect these thoughts, understanding their origins and developing strategies to reframe them. She learned to distinguish between constructive self-assessment and destructive self-criticism, gradually shifting her internal narrative.
2. Building confidence in her leadership capacity.
In 1:1 coaching sessions, we explored practical approaches to project management, delegation, and strategic communication tailored to her role. These approaches weren't only about external actions. We also cultivated the belief that she possessed the skills and judgment to succeed in her new role. Beatrice started experimenting with new ways of approaching her responsibilities and pushing past her comfort zone.
3. Embracing proactive support and collaboration.
Like many high-achieving professionals, Beatrice initially found it challenging to ask for support, viewing it as a sign of weakness. Through coaching, she recognised that seeking help was, in fact, a strength. She reframed it as a strategic move that leveraged her network, built relationships and accelerated progress. We worked on practical ways to articulate her needs, identify key allies, and create a support network within her organisation.
4. Translate her ideas into tangible actions.
Throughout it all, Beatrice broke down her new responsibilities and big ideas into tiny steps. Rather than letting overwhelm and procrastination take over, she learned to prioritise, set realistic deadlines, and celebrate incremental progress. In turn, this reinforced her confidence in each successfully realised idea.
"I focus my energy where it matters. I show up confidently and naturally with senior leadership." - Beatrice.
And as coaching progressed, Beatrice saw the results:
She spoke up in meetings, took up space, and trusted her judgment in developing new service ideas.
She landed and signed two deals in new sectors, demonstrating her ability to create impact for the organisation.
She built visibility and credibility with senior leadership, which led to her receiving an offer to take on a new role in another country office.
She relocated to a new country and transitioned into her international role.
“Sometimes I’m surprised how confident I am and how I give in less to my people pleaser and hyper-achiever.” - Beatrice
These external results were possible through the internal shifts Beatrice created:
She trusted her judgment and developed a more assertive and action-oriented mindset.
She handled conflict or uncertain situations with a calm mind and presence.
She believed she had a right to sit at the table and stood her ground in debates and negotiations with colleagues or external stakeholders.
She built confidence in her unique leadership style and her strength to build strong relationships with colleagues.
Overall, she felt in control and less burdened by external opinions or internal criticism. This meant she could approach challenges from a place of strength and assume her new leadership position with a more profound sense of purpose.
Beatrice’s journey shows that a demanding new role doesn’t require us to compromise on our core values. In stepping into a new role, we get the chance to showcase the person we can be – leading with our strengths and leaning into the impact we want to have.
(*) name and important details changed to protect confidentiality.
Beatrice took part in my Your Transformation journey. This journey combines coaching with state-of-the-art mental fitness training through Positive Intelligence™ so you can go from over-analysing and second-guessing yourself to stepping into your role or next career chapter with confidence and resilience.
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