I used to believe that as a leader, I was expected to have all the answers.

If I didn’t, it meant I wasn’t qualified to lead.

So I operated from the old “fake it until you make it” mindset—a trap that many people in positions of authority fall into. If I didn’t know the answer, I felt like I was falling short of what a leader was supposed to be.

In reality, I wasn’t fooling anyone.

The people I led could see through it. And my unwillingness to admit what I didn’t know not only prevented my own growth—it made it harder to build trust with my team.

Worse, I was setting the wrong example.

If I couldn’t admit I didn’t have the answers, why would they?

When I became a professional coach, I adopted a new mindset—anchored by this quote from John Wooden.

I realized that if I was the smartest person in the room, I had chosen the wrong room.

Growth starts with honesty—with the willingness to acknowledge where you are and identify the gap to where you want to be.

requires humility and curiosity.

And those two qualities build trust.

If I am not continuing to learn and grow, I cannot expect others to trust my leadership.

In today’s world, with the pace of change, you will never “arrive” as a leader.

And that’s the point.

The leaders who earn trust are the ones who keep growing—who are willing to learn, adapt, and improve every day.

And in doing so, they give their teams permission to do the same.

Challenge
What are you doing today to continue growing as a leader?