One of my clients came to me for help with decision-making.
He said he wanted a better framework — something more structured, more reliable.
So I asked:
“What’s not working about your current approach?”
We dug into it.
It turns out his decisions were usually solid.
But sometimes things didn’t go well.
A project didn’t land. A stakeholder pushed back.
And in those moments, he felt exposed.
Like he’d made a bad call.
Like he looked stupid.
And he hated that feeling.
So his brain did what all our brains do:
It went searching for a process to protect him from ever feeling that again.
- If I have a better framework, I won’t make dumb decisions.
- If I have the perfect method, I won’t look bad.
But here’s what I helped him see:
Yes — we can sharpen your decision-making.
Yes — there’s always room to improve.
But the real issue wasn’t logic.
It was fear.
Because no process — no matter how good — will protect you from being judged by others.
Or misunderstood.
Or making a call that doesn’t work out.
The real work isn’t about eliminating risk.
It’s about becoming the kind of leader who can handle it.
Confidence doesn’t come from knowing you’ll always get it right.
It comes from knowing you can stay steady when things don’t go right.
This shows up all the time.
We go searching for a new formula, a new strategy, a new tactic —
when what we’re really trying to escape is the fear.
Fear of looking foolish.
Fear of being annoying.
Fear of disappointing someone.
Fear of not being seen as smart or valuable or “enough.”
And the fear does more damage than the actual outcome ever could.
Dissolving these doubts is what we do in 1-on-1 coaching.
It’s for executives and rising leaders who want more than just tools —
they want the clarity, calm, and conviction to lead themselves through pressure, ambiguity, and risk.
If this kind of work is calling to you, schedule a consultation and let’s take a look together.
