According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the standard definition of fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” A more technical definition is an emotion caused by specific threat-related stimuli that, in turn, causes a person to adapt their behavior to either avoid or cope with that threat.

“As women of color, our culture, norms, values, and history have taught us that we must be everything to everyone all the time, and we are expected to do so without any support. We are expected to be home taking care of our family (however defined), go to work, deal with racial and gender discrimination, be twice as good, work twice as hard, and be the epitome of health. It is impossible and we know it, so it is no wonder many of us shy away when it comes to taking on even more…”

If we are not honest with ourselves about who we are, how can we be genuine and authentic in our leadership of others?

While the answer to this question may be obvious, taking an internal look at who we are and how we feel about ourselves can be challenging. However, self-reflection is a critical skill to have in order to be successful as a leader.