How to Lead with Confidence When You’re Seen as the “Up-and-Comer”

Have you ever found yourself leading people who have more years under their belt than you do?

For new leaders, stepping into a leadership role can feel like both an exciting opportunity and a pressure test. Leading people who have been in the industry longer or are older than you can stir up feelings of doubt and raise questions about credibility. But you don’t need to have all the answers all of the time to lead effectively, leveraging the knowledge is an essential leadership skill at any stage.

Let’s explore the challenges inexperienced leaders can face and some practical ways to thrive.

How to Establish Credibility Without Knowing Everything (relevant for every leader, at every stage of your leadership journey)

It’s natural to feel the need to “prove” yourself when managing experienced or older employees. However, trying to know it all can lead to burnout and create unnecessary pressure. The key is to shift your mindset from needing to be the expert of everything to being a facilitator—someone who brings the right people with the right knowledge together.

Its important at this point to not let ego get in the way.  Focus on leading with questions instead of being the one giving all of the answers. Tap into the expertise around you by actively seeking insights from experienced team members. This is a great approach to ease the pressure on yourself and build trust within the team by acknowledging their value.

“You’ve been through these challenges before—what’s worked well in the past or is there something that hasn’t worked? Here’s what I’m thinking, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.”

Embracing Constant Self Development and Letting Go of Perfectionism

Many young leaders fall into the trap of believing they need to be perfect to earn respect. However, effective leadership isn’t about being flawless—it’s about committing to continuous growth and development and being open to feedback.

Get clear on what you need as a leader to be successful in your role.  Chances are its not knowing all of the technical details, identify a few key areas for development that are relevant to you, whether it’s improving your communication, decision-making, or emotional intelligence. Prioritise your own development and most importantly, be kind to yourself: leadership is a journey, and growth happens over time.

Great Leaders Leverage the Strengths and Knowledge of Others

One of the best ways to build trust and lighten your load is to leverage the strengths of your team. Experienced employees often have deep expertise and can act as informal mentors, while newer team members may bring fresh perspectives or digital skills. When you focus on aligning the right talents with the right tasks, the team feels empowered, and you demonstrate strategic leadership.  It’s a win-win situation.

Don’t view delegation as offloading work.  If you are not delegating you are not developing the people around you.  Make a habit of involving others in problem-solving and key decisions, and communicate the positive and negative outcomes that will happen if you don’t meet a certain deadline or target. This doesn’t dilute your authority, it amplifies it by showing that you’re focused on outcomes, not status.

Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

It’s common for young leaders to feel like you're in over your head. That little voice that says, “I don’t belong here,” can creep in, undermining your confidence. But remember—everyone feels self-doubt at some point. The best way to manage it is to focus on progress and where things are working well.

One of the best tips I ever heard was to keep a list of small wins and learnings. When you reflect on your achievements, it builds momentum and rewires your thinking from “I’m not enough” to “I am growing.” 

A lot of Leadership is Building Relationships

Respect won’t always come with the title. It’s built through consistent actions, listening, following through on what you say you will do, and recognising others' contributions. Building strong relationships early on will make leading much easier as you grow into your role.

You don’t need to have all the answers to be an effective leader. By focusing on your development, leveraging your team’s strengths, and leading with curiosity and humility, you can create an environment where both you and your team thrive. When you embrace learning, leadership becomes more about facilitating success for the entire team.

Three Final Tips for Young Leaders (but really we could all use them!)

1. Focus on your development, enjoy your leadership journey, set realistic goals for yourself and celebrate progress along the way,
2. Leverage the expertise around you. Tap into the knowledge of your team to build trust and ease the pressure to know everything,
3. Lead with confidence and curiosity. Be open to learning and lead by example.

Stepping into leadership early in your career can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s also a chance to learn more about yourself and shape your leadership style with intention. The best leaders aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who support others to play to their strengths whilst, stretching, challenging and supporting them. By focusing on growth, leveraging your team’s strengths, and building meaningful relationships, you can set the foundation for a long, impactful leadership journey for yourself and others.