3 Bold Leadership Moves
That Signal Courage
(Even When You Don’t Feel It)

These aren’t your typical “speak with confidence” tips. They’re real, high-impact moves that demonstrate courageous leadership, even if your voice shakes or your palms sweat.

Courageous Confidence: How to Lead When You Don’t Feel Ready

Midway through the year is the perfect moment to pause, reflect, realign, and reengage. Even if this year hasn’t unfolded as you’d hoped, there are still five months to shift gears and finish the year strong.

Over the past month, we’ve explored how to reignite bold vision, challenge limiting narratives, and quiet the inner critic. If you missed any of those insights, you can catch up here.

Now, it’s time to shift from the internal work of courageous leadership to the visible moments that define it. Because confidence is more than a feeling; it’s a signal. And it’s strongest when it’s modeled, not manufactured or performative.

It’s not ‘faking it until you make it.’ It’s modeling it until you master it. The goal is to lead in alignment with your values, even when your readiness wavers.

3 Bold Leadership Moves That Show Courage in Action

These aren’t surface-level confidence tricks. They’re bold, high-impact behaviors that speak loudest in the shaky-voice, sweaty-palm moments of doubt.

1. Reveal, Don’t Rehearse

The urge to polish and perfect is strong. But you don’t need all the answers. Trust grows when you share the process, not just the final product. That’s how you build a deeper connection with your team.

📌 Try This: Instead of saying, “Here’s the plan,” say, “Here’s where we are, what I’m seeing, and why I think this is our next best move.” It models courage and opens the door for contribution.

2. Redirect the Spotlight

Courageous leaders elevate others. They use their platform to spotlight those who are often unseen and unheard.

📌 Try This: In your next meeting or presentation, call out someone’s great insight or idea. That’s particularly impactful for those who are rarely acknowledged. This courageous act builds team-wide confidence. And it shows you’re secure enough to lift others as you lead.

3. Reclaim the Narrative

Plans shift. That’s reality. So, when things don’t go as planned, resist the urge to self-criticize or shift blame. The boldest move is to own what didn’t go as expected and shape what comes next.

📌 Try This: Own missteps or changes in direction honestly. Share what you’ve learned and how that insight will shape your decisions moving forward. That’s wise leadership in action.

Reframe: Replace Readiness with Resolve

When it comes to bold leadership, waiting to feel “ready” is often just procrastination disguised as preparation.

Readiness is a feeling.

Resolve is a decision.

Resolve says: “I may not feel 100% prepared, but I’m clear on what matters, and I’m committed to moving forward.”

That’s what leaders do. They lead with resolve, not just readiness.

They move first, then grow into the moment.

Real-World Example: The Relatable Resolve of Rosalind Brewer

When Rosalind Brewer became CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, she was one of only two Black women CEOs in the Fortune 500. Despite her extensive experience at Starbucks and Sam’s Club, she admitted in interviews that self-doubt still crept in.

But instead of waiting until she felt completely ready for the spotlight, Brewer led with resolve. She focused on action, equity, and transformation. Under her leadership, Walgreens accelerated its healthcare strategy and expanded access to vaccines in underserved communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her story is a reminder: even trailblazing leaders feel fear. The difference is that they choose to lead anyway.

Final Thoughts: The Courage to Keep Going

Let’s be honest: leadership rarely feels easy, especially when growth stretches you, change challenges you, and the path ahead is unclear.

But here’s the truth: Courageously confident leaders don’t always feel bold, confident, or ready. Yet they choose to show up anyway. That takes humility and heart.

At this point, you have a choice: Keep waiting to feel ready or lead purposely right where you are.

Because readiness doesn’t drive impact. Responsibility does.

The willingness to act, adjust, and keep going. That’s what sets bold leaders apart.

Need support to enhance your leadership capacity and impact?

🔗 Download the Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Guide and take one decisive step closer to the leader you’re becoming.

You still have time to recalibrate, shift your mindset, and take bold, visible action. Let the remainder of 2025 reflect the bold leader you are and are becoming.

You don’t need to feel ready to be ready.

You are a leader—so lead.