Our Prime Minister may be more like the rest of us than we first thought. Last night on ABC’s Q&A Julia Gillard conceded that she does experience self-doubt in her role as leader.
She told an audience of school students that she experiences moments of self-doubt like everyone else. But that as a leader she “turns it on” in order to get through it, because displaying self-doubt would be a sign of weakness.
Gillard has previously exhibited levels of self confidence during parliament and long press conferences in front of an often hostile media, and she’s never publicly appeared to express self-doubt, even during the toughest of question times during parliament, which has led some to question just how she remains so confident, and whether she truly does believe her government can win the September Federal election.
When asked by host Tony Jones when exactly she’s experienced self-doubt, Gillard was careful to deflect the question. “You know that’s probably the most dangerous question for me to answer politically” she said.
“The reason it’s dangerous for me to answer is we have this kind of cultural image of leadership that self-doubt equals weakness, and we don’t like to sense weakness. And we don’t exhibit weakness and I don’t exhibit weakness.”
Are you surprised Gillard experiences self-doubt? Is it ok for a leader to admit as much?