Something stayed with me after a recent confidence coaching session, where we explored how to rebuild confidence after critical feedback (shared here with my client’s permission).
My client arrived feeling their confidence had taken a hit. They had poured time and energy into a piece of work that meant a lot to them - something meaningful, creative, and aligned with their vision.
But after receiving feedback from their manager, they started to question everything.
Doubts crept in..
Was it good enough?
Did I get it all wrong?
Should I have done something differently?
As we explored this together, something important surfaced:
The manager didn’t actually have expertise in this area.
They couldn’t fully grasp the vision - and their feedback, while perhaps well-intentioned, missed the mark.
My client, on the other hand, had been working in this field for over 10 years. They knew their stuff. They were the expert.
So why did the feedback cut so deep?
Because they cared.
Because it mattered to them.
And because sometimes, even the most experienced of us can forget our own value when someone in authority questions it.
By the end of the session, everything had shifted.
Their posture changed.
Their voice grew steadier.
That quiet self-belief came back - not through reassurance, but because they reconnected with what they already knew deep down.
They walked away with more than confidence.
They walked away with clarity.
A deeper understanding of how much this dream means to them.
And a valuable lesson that feedback is shaped by the giver’s viewpoint, not necessarily by the merit of the work itself.
One hour.
One powerful session.
One big step forward.
