Getting a team to take action—especially when they’re feeling uncertain or hesitant—is one of the biggest challenges a leader can face.
You can’t just demand motivation; you have to inspire it, and that starts with the right words.
Great leaders know that what they say can either fuel momentum or create more doubt.
The key is to communicate in a way that builds confidence, encourages progress, and makes the next step feel achievable.
The good news? You don’t need grand speeches or over-the-top pep talks.
Sometimes, a simple phrase at the right moment can be enough to turn hesitation into action.
Here are seven powerful phrases that exceptionally effective leaders use when guiding a team through uncertainty:
1) “What’s holding us back?”
When a team is hesitant, there’s always a reason—even if they’re not saying it out loud.
Instead of pushing forward blindly, great leaders take a step back and ask the right question: “What’s holding us back?”
This simple phrase does two things.
First, it shows your team that their concerns matter.
Second, it invites open discussion, making it easier to identify and overcome obstacles together.
Sometimes, hesitation comes from fear of failure; other times, it’s a lack of clarity or confidence in the plan.
Whatever the case, asking this question creates space for honest conversation and problem-solving.
Once the concerns are out in the open, you can address them directly—and that’s often all it takes to turn uncertainty into action.
2) “Let’s take the first step and see where it leads.”
I once led a team that was stuck in analysis paralysis.
We had a big project ahead of us, and every meeting seemed to end with more questions than answers.
No one wanted to make the first move because they were afraid of getting it wrong.
At one point, I simply said, “Let’s take the first step and see where it leads.”
That shift in mindset changed everything. Instead of focusing on having a perfect plan from the start, we focused on progress.
We picked one small action—just enough to gain momentum—and suddenly, things started moving.
Hesitation often comes from the fear of making mistakes, but action creates clarity.
When leaders encourage their teams to focus on the next small step rather than the entire journey, they remove the pressure of perfection and make forward movement feel achievable.
3) “Progress is better than perfection.”
Perfectionism is one of the biggest roadblocks to action.
It’s why so many great ideas never make it past the planning stage—people get stuck trying to make everything flawless before they even start.
In fact, people who focus on progress rather than perfection are more likely to achieve their goals.
Why? Because they stay flexible, adjust as they go, and don’t let fear of failure stop them from moving forward.
Exceptional leaders know this and remind their teams that progress—no matter how small—is always better than standing still.
4) “We’ve handled challenges before—this is no different!”
Uncertainty can make even the most capable teams doubt themselves.
When faced with a tough decision or an unfamiliar situation, hesitation often comes from the fear of the unknown.
But here’s the thing: Your team has already overcome challenges before and reminding them of that can be incredibly powerful.
By saying, “We’ve handled challenges before—this is no different,” you shift their focus from fear to confidence.
It reinforces the idea that they already have the skills, experience, and resilience to figure things out, just like they have in the past.
When people remember their past successes, they’re far more likely to take action in the present.
5) “I don’t have all the answers, but we’ll figure it out together.”
There’s a lot of pressure to have everything figured out before taking action.
Yet, no one ever has all the answers upfront—and pretending otherwise only creates more hesitation.
What actually moves things forward is trust; the trust that, as a team, you can navigate uncertainty together.
Saying, “I don’t have all the answers, but we’ll figure it out together,” removes the expectation of perfection and replaces it with collaboration.
It shows that uncertainty isn’t a weakness; it’s just part of the process.
When people see that even their leaders don’t have everything mapped out but are still willing to move forward, it gives them permission to do the same.
Sometimes, that’s exactly what a hesitant team needs.
6) “What would this look like if it were easy?”
When a team hesitates, it’s often because a task feels overwhelming or unnecessarily complicated.
The weight of all the moving parts can make even the first step seem impossible.
That’s why asking, “What would this look like if it were easy?” can be a game-changer.
It forces everyone to strip away unnecessary complexity and look for a simpler path forward.
Most obstacles aren’t as big as they seem—our minds just make them feel that way.
By shifting the focus to ease and simplicity, you help your team see solutions they might have overlooked.
Once they realize a simpler way exists, taking action suddenly becomes much easier.
7) “Action creates confidence.”
Hesitation doesn’t go away by thinking—it goes away by doing.
The more time spent overanalyzing or waiting for the perfect moment, the harder it becomes to move forward.
That’s why the best leaders remind their teams: Action creates confidence.
Confidence isn’t something you have before you start; it’s something you build along the way.
Taking even the smallest step shifts the focus from doubt to momentum.
And once momentum starts, hesitation fades.
Bottom line: Movement fuels momentum
Hesitation is natural, but staying stuck isn’t.
Psychologists have long observed the ‘Zeigarnik Effect’—our brains tend to fixate on unfinished tasks, creating mental tension until we take action.
The moment we start, that tension eases, and momentum builds.
This is why exceptional leaders don’t just push for action; they create the conditions where action feels possible.
They use words that shift focus from fear to progress, from doubt to confidence.
Because in the end, movement fuels momentum—even the smallest step forward can turn hesitation into unstoppable progress!
