HBR IdeaCast What’s Holding You Back from Being a Great Leader?
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Oct 28, 2025 
Muriel Wilkins, an executive coach and author, shares insights on the hidden beliefs that can hinder leadership effectiveness. She identifies seven common mental blockers that limit success, such as urgency and fear of making mistakes. Through her three-step process, Wilkins emphasizes the importance of diagnosing and reframing these beliefs to foster better decision-making and team dynamics. By understanding and adjusting our beliefs, leaders can not only enhance their own growth but also positively influence their organization's culture.
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Beliefs Drive Behavior
- Hidden blockers are learned narratives that drive habitual behavior rather than fixed personality traits.
- Muriel Wilkins says changing those beliefs is possible and necessary before behavior change sticks.
Urgency Masks Toxic Productivity
- The "I need it done now" belief creates toxic productivity and frequent unsustainable change.
- It feels productive to the leader but burns out teams and prevents building capacity, Wilkins warns.
Reverse-Engineer Your Problems
- Diagnose by reversing outcomes: map outcomes to behaviors, then behaviors to underlying beliefs.
- Name the belief causing dissonance before attempting behavioral change.
