Muriel Wilkins: Breaking Through the Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back

    Why Do Smart, Capable Leaders So Often Get In Their Own Way? Muriel M. Wilkins — executive coach, host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders, and author of the brilliant new book Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential — has spent her career helping senior leaders uncover the invisible beliefs that quietly sabotage their effectiveness. In this episode, Muriel joins me to explore what she calls hidden blockers — seven deeply ingrained mindsets that cause leaders to overcontrol, overwork, or second-guess themselves. These blockers sound deceptively simple — “I need to be involved in every detail,” “I need it done now, no matter what,” “I know I’m right,” and “I don’t belong here” — but they drive some of the most common leadership breakdowns we see today. Muriel shares how her own leadership struggles early in her career — and one pivotal question from her partner, “Did you ever think maybe the problem is you?” — led her to uncover the truth that changed everything: the biggest obstacles to our leadership rarely come from others; they come from within ourselves. Together, we dive into: Why it’s so hard for leaders to see that we might be the problem How the need for control and speed quietly destroys trust and engagement Why certainty can masquerade as confidence — and how to lead with curiosity instead How even the most accomplished leaders can secretly feel like outsiders, a belief closely tied to impostor syndrome, and what to do about it The single underlying fear that fuels all these hidden blockers If you’ve ever wondered why you keep repeating the same patterns — or why leading sometimes feels harder than it should — this conversation will help you see what’s really been standing in your way. Muriel’s insights are both deeply human and immediately actionable. You’ll walk away seeing leadership — and yourself — through a whole new lens, with practical tools to unstick the hidden beliefs that have been holding you back. The post Muriel Wilkins: Breaking Through the Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back appeared first on Mark C. Crowley.