20 Doubts Every Leader Needs to Overcome to Achieve Top Business Performance?

There is a lot that a leader must overcome when faced with the inevitable challenges that accompanies business life. To consistently achieve top business performance a leader may face various doubts which need to be effectively gone beyond. Having a business coach at your side is a great boon to help you do that.

“There is at least one point in the history of any company when you have to change dramatically to rise to the next level of performance. Miss that moment – and you start to decline.”

– Andy Grove, Intel

Every ambitious person faces challenges in their projects, careers, and lives. To overcome these obstacles, they must first identify them. Many people have mindsets, insecurities, dispositions, and habits that hold them back; often, they are unaware of them. Recognizing the factors that prevent forward movement is a critical first step. Through the coaching process, individuals can start to remove the blocks and clear the path for improved performance and enhanced success.

Here are some common blocks that can keep people from fulfilling their potential or reaching a desired outcome:

Fear of Failure. This prevents individuals from trying new activities or pursuing opportunities. The fear of failing is greater than the desire to change, grow, or develop.

Procrastination. This leads folks to complete low-priority tasks over high-priority tasks, to put off obligations, and to delay important actions until the last minute. They feel tremendous stress and anxiety when a deadline looms.

Negative Self-Image. “I’m not good enough.” “I can’t do it.” “No one else believes that I can do it, so why bother?” These typical negative thoughts indicate poor self-image, and this self-talk can become reality.

Lack of Assertiveness. The ability to speak and act boldly, to stand up for themselves, and to stand by their convictions is a great asset in life and in the business world. Without it, many people fail to reach their potential.

Difficulty Balancing Work and Home. When they’re home, they’re thinking about work; when they’re at work, they’re thinking about home. They are unable to give 100% anywhere.

Poor Communication Skills. Without the ability to express themselves clearly and make themselves understood, people cannot make valuable connections or progress in their careers.

Anger and Frustration. Whether directed outwardly or inwardly, these emotional hijackers can derail careers and burn bridges with colleagues and clients. They can make people seem unstable, unreliable, and unpleasant.

Lacking Fulfillment at Work. “Why bother?” When individuals do not find pleasure or reward in their work, they disengage and their performance suffers.

Inadequate Goal-Setting. Perhaps they don’t know what they want, or they don’t know what steps they need to take to achieve their goals. This can lead, of course, to them doing nothing and becoming stagnant in their careers.

Dealing Poorly with Conflict. Conflict is a daily occurrence. Those who cannot overcome or resolve it in a positive way become mired in negativity.

Fear of Success. This can be as disabling as fear of failure. People may fear the changes success brings or worry that, once they reach a certain level, they won’t be able to handle it.

Perfectionism. This leads people to take too long to complete tasks, to agonize over minor details, and even to criticize others. They set the bar exceedingly high and, if they cannot reach it, they become frustrated, angry, or anxious—all performance blocks in their own right.

Poor Time Management Skills. There are not enough hours in the day. These people may have problems with distractions, prioritization, task completion, and other areas that impact performance.

Poor Organizational Skills. “Where’s that file?” “What happened to my pen?” “I can’t find my desk.” Without a system in place, work can be lost, late, or poorly done.

Lack of Self-Confidence. Related to poor self-image, this hinders people from exploring new options or feeling positive about their performance.

Stagnation in Comfort Zones. They’re not afraid of failure, just discomfort. Change, even when positive, is still change and can be uncomfortable. They don’t want to risk it.

Negative Habits. Bad personal or work-related habits can interfere with work, cause tension with coworkers, and become a barrier to desired outcomes.

Low Self-Discipline. These people lack the ability to push themselves, manage their time, and overcome distractions.

Difficulty Giving Feedback to Others. It is difficult to move forward without this critical management skill. It is an integral part of being on a team.

Poor Listening Skills. They may just wait for their turn to speak, miss nuances that can be helpful to the team or to themselves, and appear uncaring or self-centered.

As individuals, we tend to avoid the things we find uncomfortable or somewhat stressful. At the same time, being aware of some of the factors that could be holding us back is an opportunity to get past these restrictions. Self-denial keeps us suspended in the status quo, and any of these negative traits may be holding you back if they are uncorrected. Whatever the case, as a coach, my commitment is to provide an opportunity for my clients to define or articulate an obstacle, identify the roadblocks, and start the process of getting around them. In my mind, it’s easy and effortless to adjust our thinking and absolutely worth doing. The difference in increased productivity and business performance after doing so is always self-evident.