“There’s probably something about confidence that I back myself, that I can do more or I can strengthen this particular skill. I can learn to do a new thing.” Julie Smith

Julie Smith and I talk about the realities of confidence, humility and self-doubt and how these play out in both life and leadership. Julie describes confidence as “trust in yourself” and reminds us that nobody feels confident all the time, even if it looks that way from the outside. She highlights the hidden cost of overworking and exhaustion, potentially even burnout, to cover self-doubt and why recognising this “self-doubt tax” is so important. We also explore growth and learning, how leaders influence the mood and mindset of their teams, the difference it makes when someone says “I’d back us,” and how humility and confidence can co-exist in powerful ways. 

Julie Smith is an executive coach with 3 decades of experience in supporting leaders and leadership teams. She is the author of award-winning book Coach Yourself Confident, and is currently writing book number two, Contagious Confidence.

****Coach Yourself Confident won Business Self Development Book of the Year at the 2025 UK Business Book Awards. Congratulations Julie!

Connect with Julie

On LinkedIn

Through her website: Talent Sprout

Resources Mentioned

Coach Yourself Confident by Julie Smith

Business Book Awards