Navigating transition, self-doubt, and rediscovering your rhythm of contribution.
The Quiet Between Roles
There are seasons in our professional lives when even certainty feels unfamiliar. A role ends, a new direction begins to form, or an unexpected opportunity invites us into unfamiliar territory. In these moments of transition, confidence can become elusive.
You read over your CV and think, Did I really do all that? Was that really me?
You remember leading teams, presenting strategies, delivering outcomes — and yet something within you hesitates. Maybe not everything went as well as it could have. Maybe you were still learning, still finding your feet, still growing into the role. And yet, the doubt persists — Was I actually good enough? This is the quiet conversation many of us never admit aloud: the space where confidence and contribution fall out of rhythm.
The Myth of Fraudulence
This feeling is not failure — it is humanity. It is what happens when growth outpaces our internal narrative. Psychologists might call this “imposter syndrome,” yet it can also be understood as whakawhitinga — a crossing point between who we have been and who we are becoming.
Self-doubt often appears when our next horizon expands faster than our ability to see ourselves in it. It is not proof of inadequacy, but evidence of evolution. The mind asks, Am I enough for this next step? while the wairua already knows, You are already moving toward it.
And often, the whisper that deepens our doubt is not failure — it’s comparison. Looking sideways instead of inward. Measuring our worth against someone else’s highlight reel.
Comparison is the biggest killer of joy.
It robs us of the truth that growth is not linear, and that confidence does not always arrive before courage.
In Kaupapa-Aligned Leadership™, this liminal space is sacred. It is the threshold where humility and potential meet — the place where reflection becomes the bridge to renewed clarity.
The Place of Reconnection
When confidence falters, the path back is not to hustle harder or accumulate achievements. It is to reconnect. To remember what has always been true about your capability, your integrity, and your contribution.
Begin with rhythm — pause, breathe, and reflect on the real stories of your mahi. Not the titles, but the transformations:
- Who was supported or uplifted through your work?
- What changed because you showed up?
- What threads of learning, leadership, and compassion run consistently through your journey?
As you recall these moments, your story begins to flow again. Confidence is not found in proving; it returns through remembering.
When Transition Becomes Emergence
Transitions are not detours; they are growth cycles. They ask us to release what no longer fits, to refine what is essential, and to rise with greater coherence between our values and our actions.
This is the essence of Te Puāwai Hou: Poutama Resonate™ — a guided pathway for emergence, resonance, and awe-inspired ascent.
Designed for those navigating professional change, it offers spacious support and strategic recalibration — the opportunity to reimagine next steps with integrity and courage.
Integrating the full Poutama IQ Ascent Series™ — Manu Hōmiromiro: Poutama Insights™, Hā Tārewa: Poutama Flow™, and Te Puna Kōrero: Poutama Signature™ — this pathway provides a strengths-based, culturally grounded approach to reconnect with purpose, refine decision-making, and nurture the conditions for new growth and meaningful contribution — with confidence.
Here, insight, rhythm, and identity meet in purposeful harmony — where direction becomes clear, horizons widen, and readiness takes shape.
Remembering the Source
Confidence is not something to find; it is something to return to. It lives in the memory of our mahi, the relationships we have strengthened, and the purpose that continues to call us forward.
The next time you read your CV and feel that flicker of disbelief, take a breath. You are not a fraud — you are a reflection of every courageous step you have taken, every moment of growth you have honoured, and every story that has shaped you.
When we reconnect with our rhythm of contribution, we move from self-doubt to self-trust — from questioning our worth to embodying our wisdom.
Reflection For Leaders
- What stories of impact or transformation remind me of my strength?
- Where am I standing between who I was and who I am becoming?
- What rhythms help me reconnect with confidence and clarity in times of change?
Further Exploration
To explore this kaupapa in practice, visit: Te Puāwai Hou: Poutama Resonate — a guided pathway for emergence, resonance, and awe-inspired ascent. Reconnect with purpose. Realign your rhythm. Re-enter your next chapter with clarity, courage, and confidence.
For further reading on the psychology of self-doubt and confidence in professional contexts:
Huecker, M. R., Shreffler, J., McKeny, P. T., & Davis, D. (2023). Imposter Phenomenon. StatPearls Publishing.
A concise overview of the research, features, and strategies associated with imposter experiences — offering insight into how self-perception, achievement, and belonging intersect in times of transition.
Image credit: Tahere, K. (2025). Used with permission.
Author: Megan Tahere. (2025).