Why We Love Labels, and Why They Don’t Serve Us As Leaders

We love a label, don’t we?

They make things simple. Somewhere we can wrap ourselves up in a neat little box and hide away when the world feels messy and overwhelming.
A quick way to explain who we are, why we act a certain way, or what to expect from ourselves and others.

Labels like “people pleaser,” “imposter syndrome,” or “perfectionist” feel like an inside story, and a way to make sense of complicated feelings or patterns.

They’re comfortable. Familiar. Safe.

But those labels don’t serve us as leaders.

Why Do We Like Labels So Much?

Labels simplify a complex story.
Leadership and life is messy. Inside and outside pressures are always changing, and labels feel like a shortcut, and a way to say:
“That’s just who I am.”
“That’s just how things are.”

They help us make sense of ourselves and others.
When someone says, “I’m a people pleaser,” it can feel like an understanding, and even a comfort.
Or hearing “I’ve got imposter syndrome,” reminds us we’re not alone in feeling out of place or uncertain.

Labels give us permission, and they also give us an excuse.
“I’m an introvert, so I don’t have to speak up.”
“I’m a perfectionist, so I can’t delegate.”
“I have imposter syndrome, making me question if I’m ready yet.”

And it’s these statements that can protect us from discomfort, risk, or failure.

The Hidden Cost of Labels in Leadership

The problem as I see it is that labels simplify us, but they also shrink us.

They put us in a box and say, “This is all you are.”

But leadership demands more of us than one fixed story.

• When you say “I’m a people pleaser,” you might avoid setting boundaries.

• When you say “I’m not strategic enough,” you stop stretching toward growth.

• When you say “I’m too emotional,” you risk hiding the empathy that makes you an authentic leader.

And there is more. “I’m not creative.” “I’m dreadful with names.” “I’m not commercial.” The list is endless.

Labels turn us into predictable versions of ourselves - to ourselves and to everyone else.
And predictability isn’t the fuel leadership runs on.

What If We Changed The Story?

Instead of using labels as a full stop, what if we saw them as starting points?

• “Right now, I tend to people please, but I’m learning to set clearer boundaries.”

• “I feel imposter syndrome sometimes and that means I’m growing.”

• “I care deeply, and sometimes that feels emotional, but it’s also my strength.”

Leadership grows and changes, just like we do.
And the labels we cling to might feel like our identity, but really, they’re just chapters in our story.

The Invitation

If you catch yourself hiding behind a label, pause and ask:

• Does this label help me grow or hold me back?

• What’s underneath this label that I’m afraid to face?

• Who could I be if I stopped believing the limits of this label?

Leadership is messy, complicated, and deeply human.
The real work, and the real growth (!), happens when we move beyond labels and own our story.

You are not your label.
You are a leader in progress, with the power to rewrite your story every. single. day.

P.S. - You don’t have to be available 24/7 to be a great leader.
Grab the Boundary Reset Workbook - it’s free, takes 10 minutes, and made for leaders like you.
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