Embracing Your Worth: How Black Women Leaders Are Challenging Self-Doubt and Building Confidence

Earlier this month, the Network for Black Women Leaders (NBWL) hosted an inspiring Elevate Session led by Ruth Heron, Executive Coach at Kenroi Consulting. Focused on the theme Embracing Your Worth: Overcoming Self-Doubt and Building Confidence, the event offered a powerful space for Black women to reflect, reframe, and reclaim their confidence in leadership and beyond.

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody,” Ruth reminded attendees, quoting the great Maya Angelou to ground the session in self-affirmation. This powerful reminder set the tone for a conversation that was as practical as it was healing.

Ruth invited attendees to explore the origins of their self-doubt—whether shaped by cultural messages, workplace experiences, or personal expectations—and to challenge the inner narratives holding them back. “We internalise messages over time that tell us we need to work twice as hard, be twice as good, be twice as prepared,” she explained. “But how does that pressure show up in your confidence? And what are the stories you’re telling yourself that no longer serve you?”

We need to recognise the systemic factors that feed self-doubt. Sometimes the problem isn’t you. Sometimes the environment isn’t built to see your brilliance.

Throughout the session, Ruth offered actionable strategies for addressing self-doubt and “impostor syndrome,” the persistent feeling of not being good enough despite evidence of success. She introduced a number of practical tools, including:

Developing a mantra or phrase to embody your inner advocate, or creating personal affirmations to interrupt negative self-talk and shift your mindset.
Building an Evidence Journal: Writing down daily wins, no matter how small, to build a bank of proof of competence and growth.
Learning to set boundaries and advocate for yourself without apology.

The session also sparked deep conversations about reframing rejection, resisting people-pleasing, and recognising the need to prioritise rest as an act of self-care and resistance. The discussion also touched on the importance of community. Several attendees shared how isolating leadership can feel, and how spaces like the Network for Black Women Leaders offer connection, solidarity, and shared wisdom.

One attendee reflected: “This was exactly what I needed—I feel more empowered to stand tall and advocate for myself in spaces that haven’t always valued me.”

The event closed with a call to action: to leave the session with a personal commitment statement. Whether it was committing to evidence journaling, no longer minimising their achievements, or saying “yes” to new opportunities, each woman left with an intention to nurture her confidence muscle in daily life.

Ruth reminded us, “Confidence isn’t something you wait to feel before taking action. It’s something that grows as a result of taking action.” We’re grateful to Ruth Heron for her wisdom, warmth, and encouragement in leading this NBWL Elevate Session.

To learn more about upcoming NBWL events and workshops, sign up for our mailing list here: Join the NBWL Mailing List.

For more on Ruth’s work, visit ruthheron.me, or the Kenroi Consulting website, which contains help and resources for personal development. Ruth's new book, Become Unstuck: Navigating Your Career Confidently, is out now!

Interested in future sessions like this? Join the NBWL mailing list to stay updated on upcoming workshops, coaching opportunities, and leadership events designed for Black women leaders.

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