OthereducationEdTech Innovations
Overcoming the Pedestal Problem in Leadership and Self-Confidence
I remember the summer of 1992 with a clarity that still makes me wince, a time when the authority of a popular older sister was enough to convince my friend and me that slathering Crisco vegetable shortening on our skin was a viable path to a perfect tan. We were just exiting sixth grade, perched on the precipice of adolescence, and already we were learning to silence our own doubts in the face of perceived expertise, a psychological phenomenon known as authority bias that begins in childhood but follows us, insidiously, into adulthood.This immature relationship with authority didn't end in my backyard; it reared its head years later in a windowless corporate conference room, where I sat in an all-day meeting, my own ideas stifled by the intimidating presence of the HiPPo—the highest-paid person’s opinion. I realized then that I, and many of the women around me, were suffering from what I’ve come to call the Pedestal Problem, a silent epidemic that corrodes self-confidence and leadership potential.In my work now as an executive coach, I’ve seen this pattern play out in hundreds of conversations with leaders across industries. The act of placing someone on a pedestal, whether for their title, experience, or charisma, fundamentally interrupts our connection with our own inner knowledge.We assume they know better, and in that assumption, we mute our insights, leading to unwritten books, undeveloped products, and organizational cultures mired in mediocrity. Conversely, when we are the ones placed upon that pedestal, we risk developing an inflated ego, insulated from the crucial, candid feedback that teams too often withhold—a Visier study from 2025 underscores this, revealing that nearly half of all employees admit to holding back honest feedback.The solution isn’t simplistic advice to ‘fake it till you make it,’ but a more profound, three-part journey of reconnection. First, we must reconnect with ourselves, as I did after twelve years at a company that had practically raised me; despite senior leaders advising me to stick it out during a tough period, I had to recognize that the highly regulated environment was a fundamental mismatch for my creative values, a misalignment that no amount of external validation could fix.Second, we must re-establish equal connection with others, which requires consciously identifying how our own doubts silence us and then actively exploring the unique experiences, talents, and perspectives that only we can bring to a meeting or a project—when I coach CEOs of companies I admire, I remind myself that my value isn't in matching their expertise, but in my unique ability to hold space and ask the right questions. Finally, we must connect with our future potential, a practice that gave me the courage to leave my secure job and build an executive coaching business by asking myself what legacy I wanted to leave and what I was truly meant to create. Pulling the pedestal isn't an act of arrogance, but one of profound humility and self-awareness, a necessary step to stop underestimating ourselves and become the confident, impactful leaders we are meant to be.
#pedestal problem
#imposter syndrome
#leadership
#authority bias
#self-confidence
#executive coaching
#featured
