Even Brilliant People Break When They Start Leading

You were brilliant at your job.

You delivered fast. Handled complexity. Got results.

So they promoted you.

And then...

• The second-guessing.

• The people issues.

• The “why is this so much harder than it should be?” feeling.

If that’s where you are right now, you’re not broken.

You’re just in the gap between doing and leading.

Here’s What You To Know:

🎯 What made you great as an individual contributor…won’t make you great as a leader.

You used to:

• Get things done yourself

• Rely on speed and certainty

• Solve problems alone

Now you need to:

• Empower others to deliver

• Slow down to align and guide

• Build trust and navigate people

And most leaders were never taught how to do that.

❌ What NOT to Do

1. Don’t try to be “one of the team” You’re not. You’re leading now. Own it.

2. Don’t solve every problem yourself That creates dependency, not growth. (Teaser alert, it's about asking the right questions...)

3. Don’t expect people to “just do it like you did” They won’t. And that’s not their fault.

4. Don’t fake confidence Your team doesn’t need perfect. They need real.

✅ 7 Shifts That Make You a Stronger, More Human Leader

1. Shift from doing → to developing You’re no longer the engine. You’re the driver. Get out from under the bonnet!!!

2. Shift from control → to coaching (the big one) Ask better questions (yes QUESTIONS). Build thinkers, not followers.

3. Shift from fast answers → to clarity + context Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast....baby!

4. Shift from fixing → to facilitating Great leaders create the space for others to solve.

5. Shift from being liked → to being trusted Trust lasts. Approval fades, ("Egos left outside please")

6. Shift from certainty → to curiosity It’s okay not to have all the answers. Lead with questions, that's right QUESTIONS!

7. Shift from self-doubt → to self-awareness Confidence isn’t loud. It’s grounded.

The Base Line

If leadership feels hard right now, it’s most certainly not because you’re failing.

It is most likely because you were promoted into a role that requires skills you were never taught.

Those skills can be learned. And they’ll make you a better leader and a better version of yourself.

Want Support?

This is the work I do:

Helping high-performing professionals bec

ome calm, clear, confident leaders, without burnout, indigestion (bless-you) or the imposter syndrome.

If you’re in that messy middle and ready to grow into the leader your team actually needs:

Send me a DM and let’s talk.

Final Thought

You don’t need to “fake it” as a leader.

You just need to figure out how you lead , from the inside out. It's personal.

You're capable. You're close. Now it's time to lead like you.