profile

Karl Bimshas | Karl Bimshas Consulting

7 Excuses You Make To Keep You from Leading

Published over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader,

You could be stepping into leadership, but something is stopping you. In this new seven-part series, I’ll explore the common excuses people use to sideline themselves from leadership. Identify what resonates with you, and then take action to challenge your mindset.

It’s time to let go of the tortured justifications that keep you from stepping up. The world needs fresh, authentic leadership.

These excuses often stem from fear, misconceptions, or a misunderstanding of what leadership truly is. Here’s a glimpse of what holds people back:

  1. Fear of failure, rejection, or the unknown - Leadership involves risks, and the fear of failing can be overwhelming. However, avoiding those risks also means missing the rewards.
  2. Lack of self-confidence - Stepping out of your comfort zone takes courage, and leadership can feel unattainable without belief in your abilities.
  3. Waiting for someone else to lead - Assuming others are better suited or more experienced often leads to deferring responsibility, even when one’s voice is needed.
  4. Feeling self-serving - Some view leadership as a power grab rather than a chance to serve others. This mindset creates internal conflict and hesitation.
  5. Not finding a place to lead - Leadership isn’t tied to a title or position. Opportunities to lead are everywhere—if you’re willing to recognize them.
  6. Past failures or discomfort - Mistakes and awkward experiences are a natural part of growth, but they shouldn’t define your potential to lead.
  7. Believing you don’t know how - A lack of formal training doesn’t disqualify you from leading. Leadership is more about learning, growing, and serving than having all the answers upfront.

Each excuse is rooted in fear or a misconception about leadership. In this series, I’ll help you reframe these beliefs and see leadership as an opportunity to grow, serve, and create impact.

Are you ready to challenge your reasoning and step into the self-, team, or organizational leadership that the world needs?

The series begins February 1st via Wake Up A Leader on Substack.

WHAT DO NEW LEADERS NEED?

As you already know, I work with many people who are either new to leadership or established leaders who need renewal.

Many people say they don't like to lead or don't consider themselves leaders. While my website has plenty of free resources for the leadership-curious, I would like to know if anyone is interested in a program, maybe a boot camp, that helps to get people up and running as leaders quickly. Please vote below and/or reply to this email to message me about topics you want to see.

Keep advancing confidently in the direction of your dreams and help others along the way.

-Karl

Karl Bimshas

Founder, Karl Bimshas Consulting

Manage Better. Lead Well.

Karl Bimshas | Karl Bimshas Consulting

Manage Better. Lead Well.

Become a better leader without being a jerk with this Boston-bred, California-chilled Leadership Advisor, Writer, & Podcast Host

Read more from Karl Bimshas | Karl Bimshas Consulting
Leadership Requires Followership

Reflections on Leadership Drift Leadership Requires Followership Leadership Drift This Week Many leaders proudly describe their teams as "empowered." Team members are encouraged to make decisions, solve problems, and work independently. This sounds like healthy leadership. Yet over time, something subtle begins to happen. People make decisions based on their own interpretation of priorities. Projects begin moving in different directions. Standards become inconsistent. Meetings become...

about 8 hours ago • 5 min read

Hi Reader, Leadership problems typically begin with small patterns that quietly weaken clarity, trust, and execution. I call this Leadership Drift. The challenge is that most organizations don't recognize these patterns until they've become costly. That's why I created the Leadership Drift Situation Board. It's a conversation tool that helps leadership teams recognize eight common patterns before they become larger problems. Print it. Use it during your next leadership meeting. See what...

5 days ago • 1 min read
When Everyone Is Responsible, No One Is

Reflections on Leadership Drift When Everyone Is Responsible, No One Is Leadership Drift This Week Leaders inadvertently create accountability problems through small decisions they consider harmless. A project begins with energy. The team meets. Expectations are discussed. Everyone leaves confident that they understand what needs to happen. Then the drift begins. A deadline approaches, but no one is certain who owns the final decision. One person assumed another person was handling the next...

7 days ago • 4 min read