Authenticity in Leadership

The CRED approach to leadership credibility

So, earlier this week I was having coffee with a friend, a newly promoted UX manager, and she looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"I feel like an imposter," she confessed.

"How can I establish myself as a credible leader within my team and company?"

As she spoke, I could see the weight of her new responsibilities etched on her face.

She went on to explain:

'Yesterday, I had to lead my first big strategy meeting. As I stood there, presenting our UX roadmap for the next quarter, I felt like a fraud. Half of my team has more experience than I do in certain areas. What if they see through me? What if I make a decision that tanks a project?'

Her hands trembled as she took a sip of her coffee. 'And it's not just the team,' she continued. 'I'm now expected to advocate for UX at the executive level. Last week, the CEO asked me about the ROI of a proposed redesign, and I froze. I mumbled something about user satisfaction, but I could tell he wasn't impressed.'

Her eyes darted around the café, as if che…