Be Confident and Bold

"Be confident and bold. Don’t be your own filter. People want to hear what you have to say." Melissa Lora
I saw this quote on a wall at USC Marshall School of Business recently, and it stopped me in my tracks. How often do we filter ourselves — not because we don’t have something valuable to share, but because we’re afraid it might not land perfectly? We hold back ideas until they’re “just right,” or soften our words so much they lose their impact.
Here’s the thing: leadership isn’t about being flawless — it’s about being authentic. At #NOEGOleadership, we talk a lot about #NavigatingObstacles and #EmpoweringGrowthOpportunities. And one of the biggest obstacles leaders face? The internal critic that says, “Don’t say that — what if it’s wrong?”
But leadership isn’t a carefully scripted speech. It’s a conversation. And people don’t want your filtered, watered-down version — they want you.
So speak up. Be bold. Share the idea. Offer the perspective. Even if it’s messy. (And if it is messy, congratulations — you’re officially a human leading other humans.)
Because at the end of the day, the only voice you silence when you over-filter… is your own. And that’s a loss no team can afford.