You Don’t Need to Be Perfect to Be a Good Leader

There’s a quiet pressure that creeps in when people step into leadership. The idea that you need to have it all figured out. That you should always know what to say. That being a leader means being better somehow more polished, more confident, more certain than everyone else in the room.

It’s rubbish. But it’s powerful rubbish. And it holds a lot of good people back.

When I started my career twenty‑five years ago, the role of a leader was much narrower more directive, more in control, and often more transactional. Today? Leaders are expected to wear dozens of hats: coach, mentor, strategist, culture‑builder, gatekeeper, even tech‑translator. Management responsibilities are sprawling, teams are remote or hybrid, and caring for wellbeing not just meeting targets is non‑negotiable. This shift is one reason some avoid leadership roles altogether, especially younger colleagues who point to burnout and overwhelm as real risks .

But the truth is, most of the best leaders I’ve worked with weren’t perfect far from it. Some were still figuring out how to set boundaries. Others wrestled with imposter syndrome or worried constantly about being “too much” or “not enough.” What made them good leaders wasn’t perfection. It was presence. It was humility. It was a willingness to keep showing up.

People want someone they can trust: someone who listens, makes decisions, owns their mistakes, and creates space for others to grow. You don’t need to be the cleverest person in the room you just need to be real, and consistent enough that people know where they stand.

It’s taken me years to unlearn the idea that being a good leader means being faultless. I now believe the opposite is true your humanity is what makes you worth following.

So if you’re holding yourself to some impossible standard, take a breath. Show up. Ask the question. Admit when you don’t know. Trust that good leadership isn’t about proving yourself it’s about being yourself, in service of others.