Because doubt is still generally perceived as a weakness and not a strength… Doubting gives the perception of not being in control. Knowing or even perceiving that your leader doubts too often affects a good part of the trust that we place in him. And trust is damn important for a leader.

As far as possible, a leader would like to be able to predict what will happen in the future. When he is unable to do so, he can freeze, paralyze... and even get lost. But little by little, doubt seems to be gaining ground.

A human emotion, authentic and a mark of intelligent sensitivity par excellence, has doubt, once taboo, become in ?

Doubt makes the leader human

Humans need certainty and do not live well with discomfort. Humans are afraid of doubting themselves. Who has never heard the phrase: "Never doubt yourself, trust yourself"?

Yet doubt is powerful. It demonstrates humanity, vulnerability, and humility. These are all desirable characteristics for today’s leaders. Who doesn’t dream of seeing their leader demonstrate compassion and kindness, a leader who takes the time to listen to what others have to say?

For me, it is not only an important, but essential element in the success of a leader.

In a way, doubt helps to find the right balance between sometimes hasty decisions and long and tedious questioning. Doubt humanizes leadership and today's employees need humanity. We must capitalize on this situation. The time of the overconfident, egocentric leader who has the answers to everything is over!

Doubt makes the leader curious

It is healthy for a leader to question himself in order to make the right decisions. Doubt stimulates curiosity, a powerful lever for innovation, solutions and contextual intelligence. By definition, curiosity is the motivation that stimulates exploration and the search for information. For a leader, it allows him to better understand the environment in which he is, the humans with whom he interacts , the market in which he competes, etc. In a context of uncertainty, it leads him to seek elements of answers to questions for which he doubts. A leader can easily ask himself the following questions to stimulate his curiosity:

• What do I need to make a decision?

• What alternatives/options/solutions are available to me?

• What are other perspectives/views on the context or situation?

If a leader never doubts and therefore never questions himself, he risks:

• to taint its leadership and credibility;

• that its organization takes a step back from its competitors;

• that its products and services lose value on the market.

It is important to remember that in times of turbulence and crisis, leaders must navigate ambiguity with curiosity and good judgment while taking into consideration their emotions in the face of uncertainty. Doubt is therefore a normal and healthy phase that helps bring back the level of certainty needed to make good decisions.

Doubt in the service of the leader

Obviously, the exercise of doubt must be done in the right way. The over-presence of doubt is as negative as its absence (in short, the extremes). Finding the balance between the two is essential. Here are four tips to become a superhero of doubt:

• Surround yourself well – have a circle of trusted people with whom you can communicate freely;

• Ask the right questions – to get the right answers to the things that make us doubt;

• Being open to feedback and other people's perspectives – accepting that others may not have the same vision as us;

• Being able to integrate the information obtained and analyze it adequately – demonstrating contextual intelligence in order to bring out the relevant and determining elements according to the context in which one works.

Remember: Humans seek stability. Today's world is unstable and complex. Doubt makes a leader human and pushes him to be curious. Curiosity brings elements of answers to uncertainty and discomfort. Intelligent doubt therefore allows the leader to find a certain stability in the current reality and that of tomorrow. It allows him to make informed decisions.

Doubt, a super power to use intelligently!