#82 - When experience becomes a cage!
8 Oct 25
Many experienced leaders find themselves in a quiet dilemma: they’re expected to already know how to lead, yet leadership challenges continue to evolve. This expectation creates pressure making it hard to admit when they need help or when to seek coaching. The result is a leadership 'trap' where experience becomes both a badge of credibility and a barrier to growth.
This week's edition of The Springboard Spotlight! explores what this trap looks like, why it exists, and how leaders can break free to rediscover growth, confidence and authenticity in their leadership.
What?
After years in leadership roles, it’s easy to assume that the learning curve should flatten. Others look to you for clarity and direction. You’re the one people expect to have the answers.
But leadership isn’t static, the world shifts, teams evolve and so do the demands of the role. Even seasoned leaders encounter moments of uncertainty, self-doubt and fatigue. Yet few feel safe to voice it.
The trap looks like this:
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You feel the pressure to appear confident and composed.
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You sense that seeking help might be seen as weakness.
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You need space to reflect and grow but can’t find it.
And so, many leaders stay silent. They carry the weight alone, often at the cost of their wellbeing, creativity and effectiveness.
Why?
This conundrum stems from a mix of external expectations and internal narratives:
- Externally, senior leaders are surrounded by perceptions of competence reinforced by colleagues, boards and teams who rely on their steadiness.
- Internally, many leaders have spent years building an identity around being capable, decisive and resilient. Admitting uncertainty can feel like betraying that identity.
Culturally, organisations often reward visible strength and quick answers, rather than reflective growth. This creates an environment where seeking support feels risky, even though it’s exactly what would sustain high performance.
The irony?
The more successful a leader becomes, the fewer people they can turn to for honest, constructive feedback.
How?
How to break the trap?
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Reframe what 'knowing how to lead' means - Leadership isn’t a fixed skill set, it’s an adaptive practice. The most effective leaders view growth as continuous. Asking for help isn’t a failure; it’s a form of professional maintenance.
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Normalise coaching and reflection - Coaching isn’t remedial. The world’s best athletes, performers, and thinkers all have coaches because they’re committed to staying sharp. Leadership is no different.
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Create psychological permission for yourself and others - Give yourself permission to say: 'I don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to learn'. When senior leaders model this vulnerability, it cascades through the culture inviting others to grow too.
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Start small - You don’t have to overhaul everything. Begin with one honest conversation, one reflective practice, or one coaching session. The act of asking for help is itself a step toward reclaiming authenticity and ease in your leadership.
In Summary
The greatest misconception about leadership is that experience eliminates the need for growth. In truth, the more experienced you are, the more valuable continuous reflection becomes.
If you find yourself caught in the leadership trap, expected to know, afraid to ask, remember:
...mastery in leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having the courage to keep evolving!
Have a great week!
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- Resources - Reading is an essential component to developing your own authentic leadership style. Check out my resources page for really inspiring books which I have found invaluable within my own leadership journey,
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- Leadership Skills Evaluator - If you are an experienced leader, how do you assess if your current skillset is up to date, or if you have any gaps? Or understand if it is developed enough to equip you for the next two roles? This is where the Leadership Skills Evaluator comes in. Answer 30 questions spread across 10 key leadership areas to assess your current capability. It's absolutely FREE to take the assessment, and you will receive a personalised report delivered immediately into your Inbox on completion!
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