{"id":6758,"date":"2026-10-18T17:13:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/leader-mindset\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T17:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:16:54","slug":"leader-mindset","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/leader-mindset\/","title":{"rendered":"A Leader\u2019s Mindset: Why Most Management Problems Are Identity Gaps"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:215;padding_bottom:90&#8243; md_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:185;padding_bottom:80&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:155;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h6&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;secondary_color&#8221; font_size=&#8221;lg:16&#8243; letter_spacing=&#8221;2px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;1.2&#8243; text=&#8221;Knowledge Center for Managers \u00b7 Stage 01 of 05&#8243; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;18px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h1&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:32;md:44;lg:54&#8243; line_height=&#8221;1.15&#8243; max_width=&#8221;900px&#8221; text=&#8221;A Leader\u2019s Mindset: Why Most Management Problems Are Identity Gaps&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;div&#8221; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:18;lg:20&#8243; line_height=&#8221;32px&#8221; max_width=&#8221;760px&#8221; text=&#8221;Most of the managers who come to me know what needs to be done. They don\u2019t do it because something in their self-perception stops them. In this guide I gathered what I\u2019ve learned about managerial identity, limiting beliefs, impostor syndrome and managerial courage, with tools you can start using this week.&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;26px&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-byline&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/about\/\">Ronen Frieman<\/a>, leadership and executive-team strategist and ICF-certified executive coach \u00b7 Updated September 2026 \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/\">Back to the Knowledge Center<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html el_class=&#8221;rfkg-cssbox&#8221;]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:80;padding_bottom:90&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-article&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-tldr\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-tldr-label\">IN SHORT<\/p>\n<p>A leader\u2019s mindset is who you are as a manager before any action: how you see yourself, which beliefs you hold and which values guide you. In my experience, the gap between knowing and doing almost never comes from missing knowledge. It comes from an inner perception that runs behavior. So the work starts with identifying the belief that stops you, continues with phrasing your managerial identity, and is built one small task at a time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"rfkg-toc\" aria-label=\"Table of contents\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-toc-title\">IN THIS GUIDE<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#identity-gap\">What a leader\u2019s mindset is, and why it comes before the tools<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#limiting-beliefs\">Limiting beliefs: the story we tell ourselves<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#impostor\">Impostor syndrome: why it doesn\u2019t disappear with promotion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#courage-presence\">Managerial courage and executive presence are muscles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#values-authenticity\">Values and authenticity: Walk the Talk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#effort-growth\">Measure effort, not just outcome<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#transitions\">When what worked before stops working<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#framework\">How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h2 id=\"identity-gap\">What a leader\u2019s mindset is, and why it comes before the tools<\/h2>\n<p>Most leadership problems look like skill gaps, and they are not. They are identity gaps. I saw it in a manager who knew exactly how to hold an expectations conversation and simply never held it. And I saw it in myself: last August I started writing 12 posts in two weeks and finished none. The ideas and the knowledge were there. I was not.<\/p>\n<p>That is why it is worth starting not with a list of tools, but with the question of who you are as a manager, which values lead you, and how you see yourself inside the organization. When those answers are clear, the tools start to work. When they are not, even the best tool stays on paper.<\/p>\n<p>The same logic applies to trying to imitate famous managers. You cannot copy Steve Jobs\u2019s micromanagement of Apple\u2019s design, or Jeff Bezos\u2019s silent reading of a six-page memo at the start of every meeting, and call it your way. These are not tricks. They are part of those managers\u2019 identities. The hard part of management is that it depends on you, on your beliefs and on your communication style.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: self-examination before your managerial identity card<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>What values lead me, and how should they be expressed in my current role?<\/li>\n<li>How am I perceived in the organization, compared with how I see myself?<\/li>\n<li>External mapping: Gallup\u2019s CliftonStrengths assessment to find your five core themes, DISC to map your management style, and a questionnaire for colleagues and friends you trust, who will answer honestly and supportively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adaacyadeacmackacladg-acuacwackacsacpact-activity-7492814679925219328-ovV3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Writer&#8217;s Block That Is Really an Identity Gap<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%91-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%99%D7%92%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%9E%D7%95-%D7%A4%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-activity-7472158523745955841-_IPB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Most Leadership Problems Are Identity Gaps<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9F-hack-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A4%D7%A9%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%A7%D7%A6%D7%A8-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%9A-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94-activity-7259098248445894656-Vc1z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">There Is No Hack for Becoming an Outstanding Manager<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"limiting-beliefs\">Limiting beliefs: the story we tell ourselves<\/h2>\n<p>Almost every manager who hits a wall, whether from negative feedback or missed targets, gets stuck because of a limiting belief. One of the most common is \u201cI can\u2019t act like the ideal manager\u201d: that mythical figure who always knows what to do, decides in a split second, and is assertive and charismatic. This belief is dangerous because it frees the manager from responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>There are several fixed perceptions I meet again and again, and each has an answer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A good manager must be the most professional expert in the room.<\/strong> Leadership relies on teamwork, coordination, critical thinking and leading a process, skills unrelated to personal expertise.<\/li>\n<li><strong>I must never show doubt or difficulty.<\/strong> Conscious vulnerability increases trust and adaptability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>My role is to supply answers.<\/strong> Quality questions create systemic thinking and ownership.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conflict means something is wrong.<\/strong> A well-managed conflict is a condition for growth, innovation and good decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A case from the field: in our first meeting a manager told me he was crazy and neurotic and needed to calm down. I asked for examples, and he listed ten at a dizzying pace: he must arrive prepared for every meeting, and in work plans he prepares a solution for every problem in advance. I reflected that he is actually managing risk and does not want to be surprised. He answered \u201cyes\u201d with excitement. That is called being proactive. The story we tell ourselves about ourselves is usually negative, and good questions can flip the interpretation.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: three steps for working with a blocker<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Identify.<\/strong> Notice statements like \u201cI wait to be invited,\u201d \u201cI avoid speaking in meetings unless asked,\u201d or \u201cI feel I have to prove I belong.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Understand.<\/strong> A blocker is not external circumstances and not a lack of technical skill. It is the story you tell yourself.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reframe and act.<\/strong> Instead of \u201cif only I were more assertive,\u201d phrase a specific challenge, for example \u201chow do I become more sociable in order to build a network for my career,\u201d and choose one small action. You start small and discover the demon isn\u2019t so bad.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acgacpacuaclacvacuacwackacsacpact-adaacpadgaclacnacuacwackacsacpact-activity-7425066957542027264-JeVy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maybe I&#8217;m Not Cut Out to Be a Manager<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%90%D7%A6%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7406581427313483776-zUZQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When I Went Full Boomer on Two Young Founders<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9C%D7%95-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%98%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%93-%D7%90%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%93%D7%92%D7%94-%D7%93%D7%92%D7%94-%D7%93%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%93%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%93%D7%91%D7%94-activity-7061187964919255040-ecQu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">If Only I Were More<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acwacpackaclacsacyadcacuacp-adaadeaclacgaddacoacpachacpacladg-activity-7086573984313409536-ebyc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">From Neurotic to Proactive<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"impostor\">Impostor syndrome: why it doesn\u2019t disappear with promotion<\/h2>\n<p>Impostor syndrome is a state in which people with proven achievements are convinced their success came from luck, or from an ability to fool others. The voices are familiar: \u201cany minute now they\u2019ll find me out,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m not really good enough,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A manager said exactly this to me just before a promotion to a senior management role. In front of me sat a brilliant, focused person with a proven record throughout his career, who for years had been waiting for someone to shout that the emperor has no clothes. I asked him about his ability to learn something new at supernatural speed and to separate the essential from the trivial. He objected: that is not a real talent, a senior manager needs strategic thinking. I told him that strategic thinking is exactly learning the problem, understanding what is essential and what is trivial, and focusing on the essential.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What the research says.<\/strong> The term was coined in 1978 by Clance and Imes, who described high-achieving women. A 2011 review by Sakulku and Alexander estimates that about 70% of people will experience at least one episode of the phenomenon during their lifetime. Two myths worth releasing: it is not a phenomenon of women only, and it is not reserved for the young and inexperienced. As you rise in rank, responsibility and exposure grow, so the inner voice tends to get stronger, not weaker.<\/p>\n<p>What helps? In my experience, coaching that provides an external reality check. It is very hard to refute a story you tell yourself on your own, and much easier when someone hands the facts back to you.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%A3-%D7%94%D7%9D-%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%95-%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%94%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%92%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7055755920517005312-EOka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Any Minute Now They&#8217;ll Find Me Out<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%AA%D7%A1%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%96%D7%94-activity-7426512821452070912-KhDi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impostor Syndrome<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%99-%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A0%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%A1%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%96%D7%94-activity-7467447513550299136-nDuh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Five Myths About Impostor Syndrome<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"courage-presence\">Managerial courage and executive presence are muscles<\/h2>\n<p>Managerial courage begins exactly where the comfort zone ends, when there is vulnerability and a real risk of failing. In a first coaching session, a group manager told me in frustration that to succeed he had to do many things, but he did not have the mandate. When a manager says \u201cI don\u2019t have the mandate,\u201d he is in practice waiting for someone to tell him what to do, while he is expected to take the reins and lead. This is exactly the hard transition: from being measured on your own output to being measured on the output of others.<\/p>\n<p>Part of courage is the ability to be disliked. I hear many managers looking for a solution everyone will be happy with. I understand the need; as an Adler Institute graduate I know the human need to belong. But a manager has to deliver results, and almost every decision is a potential source of friction.<\/p>\n<p>Executive presence is not charisma, and not the image of a tall man with a deep voice who walks into the room and the room goes quiet. I define it as the ability to read a situation quickly and act well under pressure. A manager told me that in executive meetings her voice gets lost. I translated the complaint into a request: you want your presence to be felt and to make others stop and listen. Presence is a synergy of skills that can be developed, among them courage, composure and ease with senior leadership.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: graded practice<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>List tasks that require courage and rank them from easy to hard.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a safe situation to start in. For example, the next time an employee asks a question: first listen, then ask clarifying questions, and only then explain the reasoning.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare in advance: choose the meeting in which you will voice your opinion and decide what you will say and how.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t wait for the big moment. The muscle is built on small tasks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A5-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2-%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C-activity-7210876813886033920-dfJP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Managerial Courage<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acwacpackaclacsaddaclacwadaacsacpaddaco-acwacpackaclacs-activity-7185506923566284801-wDWJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Manager Needs the Capacity to Be Hated<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladg-acwacpackaclacs-adaacpadgaclacnacuacwackacsacpact-activity-7456938212033388545-MU5t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Managerial Courage and May the 4th<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_composure-%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%97-%D7%93%D7%95%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%90-%D7%9B%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%9E%D7%92%D7%99%D7%A2-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%94-activity-7215950306155589632-eZtF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Composure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A0%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%90-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%96%D7%9E%D7%94-activity-7403682303962431488-VRh2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Presence Is Not Charisma<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%AA-activity-7224640072728342528-5XdZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Presence<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"values-authenticity\">Values and authenticity: Walk the Talk<\/h2>\n<p>You can be authentic all the way to getting fired. Authenticity has become a trend, and in its name some managers stopped thinking about the role and the business goals and became people who say whatever is on their mind. What makes a leader effective, and not just authentic, is the combination of skills, such as a clear vision that recruits employees to a shared goal, with personal values and beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>A new department head I coached walked into the room and said she would never be a good manager. Her progress had been phenomenal, but she had to hold a wake-up conversation with an employee and could not. In her view a manager has to be tough and a bit mean, and that clashed with the vision she had built: to be an empowering, teaching and inclusive manager. When two perceptions clash, the tendency is to get stuck. In practice there was no clash here. What is needed is alignment between the values and the actions.<\/p>\n<p>The higher you rise, the more complicated the dilemmas get. In executive meetings and board meetings you meet the junction between commitment to the organization, commitment to the team and professional values. Managers don\u2019t struggle there because of the pressure. They struggle because every time they have to decide anew who they are in the situation.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: a healthy separation between who you are and your role<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Cultivate interests and relationships that do not depend on your role.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain digital boundaries, for example a fixed daily hour without email.<\/li>\n<li>Practice a success experience that is not professional: writing, cooking, sport or volunteering.<\/li>\n<li>After a hard experience ask three questions: what happened, what do I learn from it, and how do I apply it tomorrow. Failing in a role is not failing as a person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladg-acwacpackaclacs-acuacwackacpaciacgacladgacwacoacp-activity-7175370384354013184-eBCm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">You Can Be Authentic All the Way to Being Fired<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_leadershipvalues-managementprinciples-authenticleadership-activity-7076427124093370368-evbb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alignment Between Values and Actions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%96%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%9F-%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9F-0545620662-activity-7408755675448852480-9bqV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Dilemmas No Management Course Teaches<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%94%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%96%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9-%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%A2-%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%AA%D7%9D-%D7%A0%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7319955549255565312-cCZI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When There Is No Excitement at the Airport<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"effort-growth\">Measure effort, not just outcome<\/h2>\n<p>A manager said to me: \u201cI want to cry, I\u2019m a failure, I worked on this project for so long and in the end we didn\u2019t succeed.\u201d It is a natural reaction. The education system, the army and school always measured us by successes and not by investment, and our self-worth became tied to the result. But nobody acts in a vacuum, and results are also shaped by others\u2019 decisions. Moving from judging results alone to focusing on effort and doing cultivates a growth mindset.<\/p>\n<p>Interpretation determines not only the experience but also the next action. A client arrived disappointed from a failed meeting with an important customer. When I asked \u201cfailed?\u201d, it turned out the meeting had been cut short and the customer had asked for materials in Hebrew. Read differently: the customer asked for another meeting, and her fear about her English turned out to be unnecessary. This is not advice to see everything positively. It is the work of stopping, deciding and phrasing a new interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>And back to your superpower: it is the strength that works in you naturally and without effort. Three ways to find it: ask what always surprises you that others don\u2019t do, ask friends to describe your five core strengths, and take a test such as Gallup\u2019s CliftonStrengths.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adaacpadgaclacnacuacwackacpaciacladg-acnadfacpachadgadcaclacuacnadg-activity-7150003214061318144-THz9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Measure Effort, Not Just Outcome<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladgacnacpaclachacpadg-adaacpadgaclacnacgacpadfacp-activity-7271773098561978368-qKHN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The &quot;Failed&quot; Meeting That Wasn&#8217;t a Failure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladg-successmindset-embracemistakes-activity-7081508603429289986-TPFB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Excellent People Don&#8217;t Make Mistakes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%97-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9A-activity-7058651256415752192-Iex6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Is Your Superpower<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"transitions\">When what worked before stops working<\/h2>\n<p>There is a moment every promoted manager knows: what used to work for him no longer works. The problems look objective, staff shortages, overload, unclear expectations, and he gives 200% and sees no change. The obvious explanation is the Peter principle. I don\u2019t accept it. I suggest identity questions: how am I perceived in the organization compared with how I see myself, and how should my values be expressed in the new role.<\/p>\n<p>The dangerous trap in a senior executive\u2019s career is not weaknesses. It is over-reliance on one proven strength, such as rare technological understanding or analytical sharpness, which becomes a weight as the role gets more senior. As Marshall Goldsmith wrote, what got you here won\u2019t get you there. The required move is from outstanding employee to orchestra conductor. For technologists it shows up in communication too: from direct, logical communication to a story that connects the team to a purpose and moves it to action.<\/p>\n<p>And some beliefs stop people completely. A senior tech manager, 47, told me he had circled an idea for a startup for several years but missed the train, since there are no successful founders over 30. The data says otherwise: in a study by Azoulay, Jones, Kim and Miranda, the average age of founders of the fastest-growing ventures (one in a thousand) was 45.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adaacpadgaclacnacuacwackacsacpact-acmackacladgacwacpackaclacsacpadg-activity-7398967436626092032-CbH6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When What Worked Before Stops Working<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%97%D7%A1%D7%9D-%D7%AA%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%A8-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%99%D7%97%D7%99%D7%93%D7%94-activity-7450052846382882817-pms4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over-Reliance on a Single Proficiency<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acwacpackaclacs-acuacwackacpaciacladg-acgacpacwacoacsacpaciacwadcacpackadeaciadfacpadg-activity-7294595962306531328-8yPo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why Technologists Struggle With the Move Into Senior Management<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_careerchange-businessandmanagement-startingabusiness-activity-7053580334977757185-k2tB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">If You Haven&#8217;t Founded a Venture by 30, Give Up<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acwacpackaclacs-ackadcacsacnack-adcaclacladg-activity-7177929719777017857-znQ1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Technical Star With No Management Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"framework\">How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/h2>\n<p>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/framework\/\">Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/a> I work with, this stage rests mainly on the clarity step: identity, values, role and direction. Effective leadership starts with clarity about who you are and what you stand for, and that is exactly what a leader\u2019s mindset is about.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What is the difference between a skills gap and an identity gap?<\/h3>\n<p>A skills gap is when you don\u2019t know how to do something. An identity gap is when you know and don\u2019t do it, because something in your self-perception clashes with the action. In my experience, most managers who get stuck are in the second situation, which is why another course does not solve the problem.<\/p>\n<h3>Does impostor syndrome pass with experience?<\/h3>\n<p>Usually not. It is not reserved for the young, and at later stages of a career it tends even to get worse, because responsibility and exposure grow. What helps is an external reality check: someone who hands you back the facts about your achievements.<\/p>\n<h3>Is emotional intelligence an innate trait?<\/h3>\n<p>No. Nobody is bad at all the components of emotional intelligence. Everyone is strong in some and weak in others, so a focused development plan is possible and effective.<\/p>\n<h3>Where do I start working on a leader\u2019s mindset?<\/h3>\n<p>By identifying one belief that stops you, and by phrasing your managerial identity card: your values and what they look like in behavior. Then you pick one small task that practices the change, and don\u2019t wait for the big moment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">More on these topics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acgacpacuaclacvacuacwackacsacpact-adaacpadgaclacnacuacwackacsacpact-activity-7421439383834230784-J3iF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Emotional Intelligence Is Not an Innate Trait<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9A-%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%AA%D7%97-%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%94-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%9F-activity-7139856339744313345-BBiI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Emotional Intelligence Is Not Something You Are Born With<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sources\">Sources for the data<\/h2>\n<p class=\"rfkg-note\">The tools and cases on this page are based on my LinkedIn posts, linked throughout the text. These are the sources for the data:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rfkg-sources\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/so06.tci-thaijo.org\/index.php\/IJBS\/article\/view\/521\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sakulku, J. &amp; Alexander, J. (2011). The Impostor Phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1), 73-92<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nber.org\/papers\/w24489\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Azoulay, P., Jones, B., Kim, J. D. &amp; Miranda, J. Age and High-Growth Entrepreneurship. NBER Working Paper 24489<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<nav class=\"rfkg-next\" aria-label=\"Continue the journey\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-next-title\">CONTINUE THE JOURNEY<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/self-management\/\"><span>Next stage<\/span>Self-Management<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/#stage-1\"><span>Knowledge Center<\/span>All the insights in this stage<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/grow\/\"><span>GROW<\/span>GROW is for management layers \u2013 from experts promoted to team lead through middle managers and the management pipeline \u2013 in closed cohorts of 16\u201320 weeks.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_background_color=&#8221;#F1EFDB&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:70;padding_bottom:70&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:50&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-author&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-label\">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-name\">Ronen Frieman<\/p>\n<p>ICF-certified executive coach and leadership and executive-team strategist, graduate of the Adler Institute. M.B.A. in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship &amp; High-Tech) and B.A. in Management (Marketing &amp; HR) from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. More than 15 years of management experience in the tech sector.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/about\/\">More about me<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ronenfrieman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:70;padding_bottom:70&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:50&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rf-guide-cta&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"max-width:820px;margin:0 auto;text-align:left;direction:ltr;\">\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:28px;font-weight:700;line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 16px;\">How do you translate this guide into everyday behavior in your organization?<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:18px;line-height:1.7;margin:0 0 22px;\">Managers don\u2019t change habits from reading an article, or from a one-time workshop \u2013 change happens in the practice between sessions. In the group program <a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/grow\/\">GROW (a cohort for new managers and middle managers)<\/a> we work in closed groups over 16 weeks on delegation, setting boundaries and feedback conversations, with measurement at 30, 60 and 90 days.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:18px;line-height:1.9;margin:0;\"><strong>For managers:<\/strong> <a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/ronenfrieman.com\/the-gap-that-good-managers-never-see\/\">Check your managerial gap with the 16-question diagnostic (Hebrew) \u2192<\/a><br \/><strong>For VPs of HR and L&amp;D:<\/strong> <a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/schedule-a-call\/\">Schedule an intro call and see the pilot outline \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:215;padding_bottom:90&#8243; md_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:185;padding_bottom:80&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:155;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h6&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;secondary_color&#8221; font_size=&#8221;lg:16&#8243; letter_spacing=&#8221;2px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;1.2&#8243; text=&#8221;Knowledge Center for Managers \u00b7 Stage 01 of 05&#8243; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;18px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h1&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:32;md:44;lg:54&#8243; line_height=&#8221;1.15&#8243; max_width=&#8221;900px&#8221; text=&#8221;A Leader\u2019s Mindset: Why Most Management Problems Are Identity Gaps&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;div&#8221; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:18;lg:20&#8243; line_height=&#8221;32px&#8221; max_width=&#8221;760px&#8221; text=&#8221;Most of the managers who come to me know what needs to be done. They don\u2019t do it because something in their self-perception stops them. In this guide I gathered what I\u2019ve learned about managerial identity, limiting beliefs, impostor syndrome and managerial courage, with tools you can start using this week.&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;26px&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-byline&#8221;] By Ronen Frieman, leadership and executive-team strategist and ICF-certified executive coach \u00b7 Updated September 2026 \u00b7 Back to the Knowledge Center [\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html el_class=&#8221;rfkg-cssbox&#8221;]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[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:80;padding_bottom:90&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-article&#8221;] IN SHORT A leader\u2019s mindset is who you are as a manager before any action: how you see yourself, which beliefs you hold and which values guide you. In my experience, the gap between knowing and doing almost never comes from missing knowledge. It comes from an inner perception that runs behavior. So the work starts with identifying the belief that stops you, continues with phrasing your managerial identity, and is built one small task at a time. IN THIS GUIDE What a leader\u2019s mindset is, and why it comes before the tools Limiting beliefs: the story we tell ourselves Impostor syndrome: why it doesn\u2019t disappear with promotion Managerial courage and executive presence are muscles Values and authenticity: Walk the Talk Measure effort, not just outcome When what worked before stops working How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle Frequently asked questions What a leader\u2019s mindset is, and why it comes before the tools Most leadership problems look like skill gaps, and they are not. They are identity gaps. I saw it in a manager who knew exactly how to hold an expectations conversation and simply never held it. And I saw it in myself: last August I started writing 12 posts in two weeks and finished none. The ideas and the knowledge were there. I was not. That is why it is worth starting not with a list of tools, but with the question of who you are as a manager, which values lead you, and how you see yourself inside the organization. When those answers are clear, the tools start to work. When they are not, even the best tool stays on paper. The same logic applies to trying to imitate famous managers. You cannot copy Steve Jobs\u2019s micromanagement of Apple\u2019s design, or Jeff Bezos\u2019s silent reading of a six-page memo at the start of every meeting, and call it your way. These are not tricks. They are part of those managers\u2019 identities. The hard part of management is that it depends on you, on your beliefs and on your communication style. The tool: self-examination before your managerial identity card What values lead me, and how should they be expressed in my current role? How am I perceived in the organization, compared with how I see myself? External mapping: Gallup\u2019s CliftonStrengths assessment to find your five core themes, DISC to map your management style, and a questionnaire for colleagues and friends you trust, who will answer honestly and supportively. To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts: Writer&#8217;s Block That Is Really an Identity Gap Most Leadership Problems Are Identity Gaps There Is No Hack for Becoming an Outstanding Manager Limiting beliefs: the story we tell ourselves Almost every manager who hits a wall, whether from negative feedback or missed targets, gets stuck because of a limiting belief. One of the most common is \u201cI can\u2019t act like the ideal manager\u201d: that mythical figure who always knows what to do, decides in a split second, and is assertive and charismatic. This belief is dangerous because it frees the manager from responsibility. There are several fixed perceptions I meet again and again, and each has an answer: A good manager must be the most professional expert in the room. Leadership relies on teamwork, coordination, critical thinking and leading a process, skills unrelated to personal expertise. I must never show doubt or difficulty. Conscious vulnerability increases trust and adaptability. My role is to supply answers. Quality questions create systemic thinking and ownership. Conflict means something is wrong. A well-managed conflict is a condition for growth, innovation and good decisions. A case from the field: in our first meeting a manager told me he was crazy and neurotic and needed to calm down. I asked for examples, and he listed ten at a dizzying pace: he must arrive prepared for every meeting, and in work plans he prepares a solution for every problem in advance. I reflected that he is actually managing risk and does not want to be surprised. He answered \u201cyes\u201d with excitement. That is called being proactive. The story we tell ourselves about ourselves is usually negative, and good questions can flip the interpretation. The tool: three steps for working with a blocker Identify. Notice statements like \u201cI wait to be invited,\u201d \u201cI avoid speaking in meetings unless asked,\u201d or \u201cI feel I have to prove I belong.\u201d Understand. A blocker is not external circumstances and not a lack of technical skill. It is the story you tell yourself. Reframe and act. Instead of \u201cif only I were more assertive,\u201d phrase a specific challenge, for example \u201chow do I become more sociable in order to build a network for my career,\u201d and choose one small action. You start small and discover the demon isn\u2019t so bad. To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts: Maybe I&#8217;m Not Cut Out to Be a Manager When I Went Full Boomer on Two Young Founders If Only I Were More From Neurotic to Proactive Impostor syndrome: why it doesn\u2019t disappear with promotion Impostor syndrome is a state in which people with proven achievements are convinced their success came from luck, or from [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":6757,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6758","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Leader\u2019s Mindset: Identity &amp; Limiting Beliefs | Ronen Frieman<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why most management problems are identity gaps, not skill gaps: limiting beliefs, impostor syndrome and managerial 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