Tell me if this sounds familiar:
You’ve been working towards that senior director or VP role for years.
You deliver results, exceed expectations, and have a reputation for making things happen.
You're loved by your team and well-liked by leadership.
And yet, when the next leadership role opens up, you hesitate. That little voice in your head starts saying all of the unhelpful things…
“I’m not sure I'm ready yet.” “If I were ready, they'd ask me to apply.” “I should feel more confident by now.”
What I discovered after years of struggling to land my dream VP role and then finally landing it is this:
You don’t have to feel ready to be ready.
So in today's newsletter, let's talk about what’s really holding you back and how to shift it.
You don't need more credentials. You need a new perspective.
There are some very real reasons that as women, we hold ourselves back.
1. Lack of representation
Too many of us have come up in male-dominated industries and organizations where everyone we see at the top looks the same… and it's not like us.
If you rarely see leaders who look or lead like you, it’s easy to think, “I don’t belong here.”
Here's the reframe: Your different leadership style isn’t a shortcoming – it’s your superpower. Authentic leadership beats imitation every time.
You're not meant to lead like an old, white man. Stop trying to. The diversity you bring to the table will make it better for everyone.
2. Past feedback
Maybe you’ve been told you’re “not strategic enough” or “not quite there yet.” Maybe you've even had a leader who didn't see your value.
That doesn’t make it true everywhere. I was told I’d never be a VP. What that ended up meaning was that the person was never going to see me as a VP. But guess what? Someone else saw my potential.
Spoiler alert: I crushed that VP role… and then became an EVP.
3. Doubt about being the first
If none of your friends, family or close colleagues have been able to land that senior leadership role, it can feel audacious to think you could.
Why should you be the special one?
But let me ask you something: If not you, then who?
Why not you?
Seriously. Why not you?
That question changed everything for me. Not long before I became a VP, I nearly gave up. I believed the feedback. I thought maybe the dream wasn’t meant for me.
(I was honestly debating creating a running app!)
Then two people I deeply respected – one a coach, the other a former boss – told me something different.
They both essentially said: You can absolutely be a VP. You're ready. Maybe not here, but definitely somewhere else.
That was exactly what I needed to apply for a VP role. And I got it.
And here's the thing: I'm not special! I've worked with so many women who had to get past their own doubt in order to show up as the leaders they already were and land their dream roles.
I did it. They did it. You can do it too.
So here’s what I want you to know:
- You're not behind.
- You don’t need another degree.
- You already belong in the room.
But you might need:
- A new story about what’s possible for you
- A mindset shift around how “ready” actually feels
- One person who believes in you (and if you don’t have one yet, let me be that for you today)
Here's your homework for this week
Take five minutes to journal on this:
Then do one small thing from that version of you.
Let’s get you the seat you deserve.
If you're ready to move from ready someday to ready now, this is exactly the work I do with women inside my program. We help you showcase your leadership value and land the role that matches it.
There are 2 ways to learn more:
Come to my free masterclass on Sept 4th to find out what's holding you back from that promotion today, and what to do about it.
Or
Schedule a career strategy call to explore your next step.
Until next time friends… ✌️💜
Katy
