You’ve hit a wall. You have ambitious goals, you’re working harder than ever, but you’re not seeing results. Your team isn’t responding the way you want. You’re passed over for the big promotion. Something isn’t clicking—the instincts and tactics that worked for you in the past aren’t working anymore. In this HBR Executive Masterclass, Muriel M. Wilkins—executive coach and author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential—unpacks what she calls “hidden blockers”: deeply held beliefs that once served you but now stand between you and the leader you’re trying to become. These blockers often lie below the surface—shaped by early success, reinforced by feedback, and buried under good intentions. They show up as familiar inner narratives: “I need to be involved.” “I can’t make mistakes.” “I can’t say no.” Each one feels productive, even responsible, until it starts to erode your focus, your relationships, and your team’s capacity to grow. Wilkins offers a practical framework to uncover and move through these blockers: Uncover. Unpack. Unblock. “The goal here is not to get rid of the belief,” she says. It’s “to expand your mindset so that you can choose which belief is going to drive your behavior.” Wilkins helps leaders see how these hidden patterns are tied to three universal human needs—to feel connected, safe, and valued. By understanding their origins, you can stop being driven by them and start leading with conscious choice. Go Deeper The Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back by Muriel M. Wilkins HBR, Nov-Dec 2025 (11-minute read) How to Coach Yourself Through Complex Problems by Katie Best HBR.org, Sept 30, 2025 (8-minute read) How—and When—to Adapt Your Leadership Style by Jennifer Jordan HBR IdeaCast, Apr 16, 2025 (13-minute listen)
