Signs Of Insecurity In Startup Leaders (And Their Impacts)
- Matei Dumitru
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Leading a startup requires founders to make tough decisions, manage uncertainty and keep things moving—often with limited resources and high stakes. It’s no surprise that even the most capable entrepreneurs can question or doubt themselves from time to time. But when a founder’s insecurity goes unaddressed, it tends to surface in counterproductive ways that can have a serious negative impact on the team and the business.
Over time, patterns of self-doubt can chip away at trust, slow your team down and make it harder to grow. Below, members of Forbes Coaches Council detail common signs of insecurity they’ve seen in startup leaders and the fallout these issues can cause. They also share their expert tips on how to shift these bad habits to lead with greater clarity, confidence and impact.
1. Micromanagement
A major sign of insecurity in a startup founder or leader is the need to control every decision, both big and small. Left unaddressed, this micromanagement stifles team autonomy, erodes trust and creates bottlenecks. Over time, top talent disengages or leaves—limiting innovation, slowing execution and weakening the company’s ability to scale. - Amy Phillip, Career Certain
2. Defensiveness
A founder who fiercely defends every idea, shooting down feedback, often hides deep insecurity. If unaddressed, this fear stifles creativity, erodes trust and stalls growth. Flip the script: Run “wild idea” sessions that reward critique, rotate devil’s advocates, and share a fail-forward story weekly to normalize learning over perfection. - Kerri Sutey, Sutey Coaching & Consulting LLC
3. Shutting Down Others’ Ideas
The No. 1 sign of insecurity is shutting down the thoughts, ideas and energy of the staff and leadership teams. Being open to allowing the support around you to voice their opinions, hopes and ideas is crucial to building a solid foundation steeped in respect, inspiration and forward, successful movement. - J.K. Dickinson, J.K. Dickinson & Associates
4. A Tendency Toward Over-Control
When a founder’s needs for safety, validation and significance go unmet, insecurity leads to over-control. In seeking safety, they micromanage, slowing the team and limiting adaptability. In seeking validation, they centralize decision-making, stifling feedback and trust. In seeking significance, they personalize pushback, hindering innovation. - Neerja Bhatia, Rhythm of Success
5. Fear Of Failure
The fear of failure is a major sign of insecurity—for example, the fear of not being able to meet financial obligations when they arise. The ripple effect of this is a lack of confidence or low self-esteem and an inability to be audacious in decision-making. When one’s belief in oneself is overwhelmed with fear, leadership becomes ineffective. Provision for acceptable thresholds for failure must be made. - Festus Erewele, Excel and Grace Consulting
6. Inability To Let The Business Evolve
If founders are constantly focused on the fact that the business is their baby, birthed by their actions and dedication, the business will never grow beyond the confines of what the founder believes it can or cannot be. The greatest “aha” a founder can realize is witnessing their business grow beyond what was ever imagined through a dedicated team who empowered even better results and impact. - Sherre DeMao, BizGrowth Inc
7. Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is a major sign of insecurity in a startup founder. Not noticing and addressing your thoughts of imposter syndrome can have a rippling effect on your confidence, ability to take action and the trust you can garner from others, which is key for influential leadership and startup growth. Utilizing an executive coach for support to work through this is critical for being an effective founder, leader and entrepreneur. - Jamie Griffith, Echelon Search Partners
8. ‘Founders’ Syndrome’
I call it “founders’ syndrome.” At the beginning, all the answers and vision (and work) come from a few—the founders. It can be both daunting and exhilarating. As the company grows, it brings in more specialized talent who bring new ideas and energy. I’ve seen cultures “chew up” new people because the founders are threatened and aren’t prepared to let go of the work and evolve their roles. - Steven Dealph, Dealph Consulting Partners
9. Boasting Or Overselling
Overselling, lying or constant boasting is a clear sign of insecurity in a founder—it often masks fear of being seen as unworthy or failing. Instead of building trust through transparency and grounded confidence, these behaviors create a fragile façade that can erode credibility and damage relationships over time. - Stephan Lendi, Newbury Media & Communications GmbH
10. The Constant, Unsatisfying Pursuit Of Business
“Entrepreholism”—a mindset of constant, unsatisfying business pursuit—hinders growth. Leaders must embrace honesty about their true selves, desires and untapped potential for significant impact. - Tami Saito
11. Overexplaining Decisions
Overexplaining every decision is a flashing neon sign of insecurity. It signals doubt, invites second-guessing and drains team confidence fast. If left unchecked, it turns leadership into a debate club, where nothing moves without endless justification, and speed, trust and boldness all die quietly. - Alla Adam, Adam Impact Institute
12. Hiding Behind Technical Expertise
The “expertise shield” is when founders hide behind their technical prowess to avoid vulnerable leadership moments. I’ve watched brilliant technologists lose teams by treating every challenge as a knowledge problem rather than a trust opportunity. Left unchecked, this creates companies that excel at products but fail at people. - Nirmal Chhabria
13. Scarcity Thinking
A major sign of insecurity is scarcity thinking—believing resources, ideas or opportunities are limited. This fear-driven mindset leads to risk aversion, small goals and reactive leadership. In a world moving exponentially quickly, leaders must think bigger, move faster and see abundance where others see limits. That’s how revolutions start. - Adam Levine, InnerXLab
14. Learning The Hard Way And Perfectionism
Insisting on learning the hard way is a big sign of insecurity. An insecure leader may be dismissive, trying so hard to get everything right that they miss the immediate impact of those actions. Instead, focus on a growth mindset, but know your core values to stay aligned. Steer away from perfectionism, which will only delay your greatness. Otherwise, you’ll lose the attention of your closest allies and customers. - Miriam Simon, Mi Sí Coaching and Consulting LLC
15. Indecisiveness
A major sign of insecurity is indecisiveness. While leaders and founders can never know all the information or be completely comfortable, it is imperative to make decisions and keep moving. Build and leverage your trusted advisors to help you think things through. Adjust or change course if needed. - Kelly Ross, Ross Associates
16. Delaying Or Delegating High-Impact Decisions
An insecure startup founder or leader will often delay or delegate high-stakes choices, fearing blame. This erodes team trust, stalls momentum and creates ambiguity. Leadership requires owning outcomes—even imperfect ones. Address it by leaning on data, embracing feedback and reframing failure as growth. Confidence isn’t certainty; it’s courage to act. - Maryam Daryabegi, Innovation Bazar
17. Failing To Own Mistakes
A significant sign of insecurity is blaming others when things go wrong. This erodes trust, stifles psychological safety and kills innovation. If left unchecked, it breeds fear, fuels turnover and fractures culture, turning a promising startup into a revolving door. Great leaders own their mistakes and make it comfortable for others to do the same. - Alex Draper, DX Learning Solutions
18. Second-Guessing And A Failure To Commit
One major sign of insecurity is an underlying lack of trust in their own ability to lead and make key decisions with confidence. This often shows up as constant second-guessing, overcompensating through micromanagement or hesitating to fully commit to their vision. I would guide them back to the core of why they started, reconnecting them with their “why” and the unique value they bring. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC
19. Failing To Build A Management System
Naturally, startup founders are used to doing everything themselves. As they scale their business, it’s hard to let go. To maintain control, they delegate bits and pieces of tasks instead of building a management system that would allow them to keep track of the work without being directly involved. Soon, they can’t keep up, and the result is stress and, eventually, burnout. - Martina Kuhlmeyer, Martina Kuhlmeyer Coaching and Consulting
20. Avoiding Tough Conversations About The Present
A sign of insecurity is overcompensating with constant “future vision” talk while avoiding tough conversations about present realities. If left unaddressed, it creates a culture of denial where red flags are painted green and small cracks turn into major fractures. Strong leadership means having the courage to balance dreams with diagnostics, facing today bravely so tomorrow actually happens. - Thomas Lim, Centre for Systems Leadership (SIM Academy)
