Rotman Visiting Experts

Behind the Leadership Blockers: What's Really Holding You Back


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Are you carrying certain beliefs that might limit your ability to lead? Leadership coach Muriel Wilkins explores how hidden beliefs — like “I need to be involved in everything” or “I can’t make a mistake” — quietly limit leadership potential. She shares a practical three-step framework to help uncover, unpack and reframe these thoughts. 

Show Notes 

[00:00] Brett Hendrie on hidden beliefs 

[1:12] Meet Muriel Wilkins, author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential

[2:26] What are internal beliefs? 

[4:27] The complete list of blockers and what they mean. 

[6:01] Situations where these types of blockers are more likely to manifest themselves.

[7:03] Honing in on one blocker: "I need it done right now." What does that blocker reveal about a person, and how does Wilkins coach people past that immediate urgency?

[9:09] Another example blocker: "I can't make a mistake" — a relevant blocker for those who may have perfectionist tendencies. Wilkins explains how she coaches leaders to get past that mindset?

[11:03] Exploring how different blockers can sometimes overlap. 

[12:27] Wilkins provides advice on how to move past the blockers. 

[14:24] How Wilkins overcomes her own blockers.

[16:13] Advice on how to potentially help colleagues to see their own blockers. 

[18:00] Final thoughts: you can lead with more ease if you remember how much your mindset matters, so try to leverage that.  

If you enjoyed this episode, why not give some of our back catalogue a listen? If you want to dig deeper into leadership topics, check out Cutting through the noise: How to make better decisions with Nuala Walsh, or Michael Bungay Stanier on the secrets to coaching others.

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To explore more leadership tips and tricks from the Rotman School of Management, check out our Rotman Executive Summary podcast, featuring the latest research and thought-leadership from our esteemed faculty. Check it out on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to subscribe to the Rotman Insights Hub bi-weekly newsletter for even more insights shaping business and society.

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Rotman Visiting ExpertsBy Rotman School of Management