🎙️ Leadership Lessons with Dr. Fredrick Lee II
Bonus Episode: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Health – Lessons from Black Women Navigating Breast Cancer
SEO Keywords: self-efficacy, breast cancer resilience, Black women’s health disparities, confidence in healthcare, emotional intelligence, patient empowerment, healthcare decision-making, perseverance, health equity

Opening
Have you ever faced a challenge so overwhelming that it tested not just your physical abilities, but your very sense of self?
For many Black women navigating breast cancer, the battle is not just physical—it’s also emotional, social, and deeply personal. But here’s the remarkable truth: in the middle of fear, stigma, and uncertainty, these women often find something powerful to carry them through—self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy isn’t just confidence. It’s the deep belief that “I can influence my outcomes. I can persist. I can find a way.”The data proves it matters—women with higher self-efficacy are more likely to adopt healthier behaviors, stay engaged in treatment, and even reshape their self-perception.
Now here’s where Emotional Intelligence comes in. EI is the skill set that helps people notice, regulate, and channel their emotions in the face of adversity. In this context:
• Self-awareness allows women to recognize fear or doubt without being consumed by it.
• Self-regulation helps them pause, manage the emotional storm of diagnosis, and make intentional treatment decisions instead of reactive ones.
• Self-regard reinforces the message that “I am worthy of care, worthy of survival, and capable of fighting for my health.”
• Empathy and social skills open the door to support networks—family, friends, and healthcare providers—that turn isolation into a sense of community.
So, when we talk about self-efficacy in these women’s stories, it’s not just belief in a vacuum—it’s belief powered and sustained by Emotional Intelligence.
Today, in this bonus episode, we’re diving into what the research tells us about self-efficacy, resilience, and determination through the lived experiences of Black women with breast cancer. And as leaders—whether in healthcare, workplaces, or our own communities—these lessons about belief, persistence, and self-trust have everything to teach us.
🎯 Digital short: “Self-efficacy is more than belief—it’s fuel for resilience.”
EI Lens: Emotional Intelligence doesn’t eliminate the fear, the stigma, or the barriers—it equips us to face them differently. It transforms raw emotion into clarity, isolation into connection, and setbacks into opportunities for growth. For leaders, this mirrors the moments when we must face disruption, injustice, or uncertainty while holding onto our ability to influence outcomes with steadiness and integrity.

Segment 1: The Power of Self-Efficacy (6–8 minutes)
Let’s start with the numbers.
In the study, higher self-efficacy was statistically linked to positive health behaviors. For every increase in self-efficacy, there was a measurable rise in healthy actions like exercise, nutrition, and treatment adherence.
That’s not just theory—that’s proof.
But the story doesn’t stop at the data. The survey and interviews revealed that self-efficacy showed up in everyday choices:
• Women described confidence in treatment decisions, like choosing hospitals or treatment plans, and doing their own research before saying “yes” to a doctor.
• Others shared how self-belief fueled lifestyle changes—committing to exercise, balanced eating, and wellness practices, even when it wasn’t easy.
• And many highlighted the way self-efficacy shaped resilience—facing side effects, stigma, or setbacks but refusing to give up.
In short, self-efficacy wasn’t just an abstract idea. It was survival in action.
🎯 Digital short: “Confidence is not bravado—it’s everyday choices fueled by belief.”

EI Lens:
Let’s examine some real-life examples of how Emotional Intelligence enhances self-efficacy. Here’s how:
• Self-awareness is what allows women to recognize their internal state—fear, hesitation, or uncertainty—and still choose an empowered response. Instead of defaulting to “I don’t know enough,” they lean on their awareness to say, “I need to ask more questions,” or “I want another opinion.” Leaders can take the same lesson: awareness of doubt doesn’t mean paralysis—it means pausing long enough to make intentional, informed decisions.
• Reality testing—a core EI competency—grounds these choices in facts instead of assumptions. When women spend hours reading journals, consulting specialists, or seeking second opinions, they’re practicing reality testing. They aren’t blindly accepting or rejecting medical advice—they’re anchoring their decisions in evidence. For leaders, this is the difference between reacting to workplace rumors and grounding decisions in data, performance metrics, and trusted counsel.
• Self-regulation shows up when lifestyle changes get hard. It takes restraint and discipline to maintain new habits like diet and exercise while dealing with illness. Leaders experience a parallel when they must manage their impulses in stressful environments—choosing steadiness over reactivity, long-term growth over short-term relief.
• Motivation fuels the persistence to keep going despite setbacks. It’s not the absence of obstacles but the determination to stay the course, even when results feel far away. That internal drive—one of EI’s pillars—turns belief into consistent behavior.
• Self-regard is woven through all of it. The belief that “I am worthy of fighting for my health” mirrors the leader’s belief that “I am capable and equipped to contribute at this level.” Without self-regard, no amount of information or support can sustain long-term resilience.
So yes, the numbers give us proof—but Emotional Intelligence explains why the proof matters. It shows us the mechanisms by which self-efficacy becomes more than confidence. It becomes lived resilience, translated into choices that save lives and sustain leadership.

Segment 2: Emotional Resilience and Support
Beyond decision-making, there is another layer that reveals the real heart of survival: emotional resilience.
One woman put it this way: “Facing my diagnosis was like confronting a storm. The fear was palpable, but learning to navigate that fear became my first step toward resilience.”
Others described the stigma of illness as heavier than the illness itself—and how therapy, support groups, and family became lifelines. These support systems didn’t just offer comfort; they became confidence-builders, reminding women that they weren’t fighting alone.
That truth carries over into leadership. Resilience is rarely built in isolation. It is sustained when people surround themselves with networks of empathy and accountability. When confidence falters, the quality of support—whether from a doctor, a mentor, or a trusted colleague—can be the difference between giving up and pressing on.
🎯 Digital short: “Resilience is personal—but never solitary.”
EI Lens: Emotional resilience is deeply tied to Emotional Intelligence.
• Self-awareness helps people name the fear instead of burying it. That awareness is what allows them to say, “I’m scared, but I’m still here.” Leaders, too, must recognize when discouragement is creeping in, instead of masking it with bravado.
• Self-regulation makes it possible to ride the emotional waves of treatment or crisis without being capsized by them. For a patient, this means pressing forward with treatment despite anxiety. For a leader, it means pausing, breathing, and choosing a measured response in the middle of pressure.
• Empathy comes alive in support systems. Families, friends, and professionals who listen, encourage, and validate create an environment where resilience multiplies. In leadership, empathy is the fuel for trust and morale—it reassures teams that they are not carrying burdens alone.
• Social skill connects people to the right networks, resources, and relationships that sustain resilience. Just as survivors lean into therapy, peer groups, or faith communities, leaders can strengthen their own resilience by building authentic communities around them.
Resilience, then, is not simply the ability to “tough it out.” It is the emotionally intelligent ability to name, regulate, connect, and lean into relationships that help transform fear into determination.

Segment 3: Perseverance, Determination, and Redefining Self
Another powerful theme that emerges is perseverance.
One woman shared, “There were days when the side effects made me question if it was worth continuing, but my determination to get better kept me going.”
This perseverance wasn’t just about finishing a treatment cycle—it was about a long-term commitment to health. For many, it meant adopting new habits, reshaping routines, and viewing wellness not as a destination, but as a continuous journey.
And here’s the striking piece: treatment outcomes reshaped self-perception. Successful outcomes reinforced confidence—women began to see themselves not only as survivors, but as warriors. And even when outcomes were difficult or painful, the process of adapting to challenges built endurance, resourcefulness, and a stronger sense of identity.
🎯 Digital short: “Perseverance is the medicine that strengthens belief.”
EI Lens: Perseverance is where Emotional Intelligence becomes a sustaining force.
• Motivation is the internal drive that keeps people going when external circumstances feel impossible. It is what transforms, “I’m exhausted,” into “But I will still take the next step.” In leadership, this EI competency is the difference between quitting in discouragement and finding a renewed sense of purpose.
• Self-regulation gives discipline to perseverance. It’s the daily decision to keep exercising, keep working, or keep showing up when emotions push toward giving up. For leaders, this looks like showing up to the meeting, delivering on promises, and keeping composure even when under stress.
• Self-regard allows individuals to see themselves as worthy of the struggle. Without self-regard, it’s easy to give up, believing the pain or effort isn’t worth it. With it, every challenge becomes a reaffirmation of dignity and value. Leaders who hold this competency can separate personal worth from temporary setbacks, which allows them to persist without crumbling under pressure.
• Reality testing also plays a role. Perseverance isn’t blind stubbornness—it’s the clarity to assess setbacks honestly and still say, “Yes, this is hard. And yes, it’s still worth it.”
Ultimately, perseverance and determination are not just about survival. They are about redefining the self: from patient to warrior, from struggler to overcomer, from someone merely enduring life to someone actively shaping it. In leadership, the same holds true—persistence through hardship doesn’t just get you to the finish line; it reshapes who you are as a leader, building credibility and inspiring those who watch you lead.

Change Moves (Practical Takeaways)
So, what can leaders, caregivers, and even patients take from this? Here are today’s Change Moves—real, tangible steps to grow self-efficacy and resilience through the lens of Emotional Intelligence:

1. Ask Better Questions
Just like the women who asked their doctors tough questions, leaders must ask, seek, and research before making decisions. Asking questions creates clarity and prevents decisions based on fear or incomplete information.
EI Connection: This practice is anchored in self-awareness and reality testing. Self-awareness helps you recognize when doubt or fear is influencing your choices. Reality testing ensures you ground those choices in facts, evidence, and lived reality—not assumptions. In leadership, asking better questions is the difference between reactionary decisions and steady, informed action.

2. Build a Support Net
Resilience multiplies when supported. These women leaned on family, friends, therapists, and doctors. Leaders, too, need to create environments where no one fights alone—whether in healthcare journeys or workplace projects.
EI Connection: This is about empathy and social skill. Empathy tunes us into the needs of others and allows us to give meaningful support. Social skill builds the networks that make resilience possible—finding allies, mentors, and peers who strengthen us when our own confidence wavers. For leaders, building a support net is not weakness—it’s wisdom.

3. Redefine Setbacks
See challenges not as roadblocks but as opportunities to deepen confidence and adaptability. In the study, women who faced side effects or treatment delays reframed them as opportunities to prove their endurance. Leaders can do the same with failures, reframing them as growth rather than defeat.
EI Connection: This practice highlights self-regulation. It takes discipline to pause and reframe a setback instead of spiraling into negativity. Leaders who regulate their emotions model steadiness for their teams, showing that setbacks don’t define the outcome—they refine the process.

4. Anchor in Daily Choices
Confidence grows in the small, daily commitments that are honored consistently. From sticking with a diet to finishing a workout, women built belief in themselves by proving they could follow through. For leaders, anchoring in small promises—like preparing for a meeting or acknowledging a team member—creates a track record of reliability that strengthens self-trust.
EI Connection: This draws from motivation and self-regard. Motivation fuels the consistency needed to keep daily commitments. Self-regard reminds us that we are worthy of the effort—that every small step matters because our lives and our leadership matter. Over time, these repeated acts build what I call a “confidence bank account” that leaders can draw on when challenges feel overwhelming.

5. Celebrate Endurance
Too often we only celebrate results—remission, promotions, completed projects. But endurance itself is success. Choosing to persist, day after day, is a victory worth naming. When we celebrate endurance, we reinforce the belief that persistence is powerful, even before the final outcome is achieved.
EI Connection: This ties to self-awareness and empathy. Self-awareness helps you see your own endurance and honor it, instead of dismissing it as “just what I had to do.” Empathy allows leaders to recognize and affirm the perseverance of others, creating cultures where resilience is noticed and valued. Celebrating endurance strengthens both individual confidence and collective morale.
🎯 Digital short: “Change isn’t just about results—it’s about resilience practiced daily.”

Wrap-Up & Closing
So here’s the truth:
The stories of Black women navigating breast cancer show us that self-efficacy is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. It shapes critical decisions, fuels resilience, and transforms self-perception, even in the hardest seasons of life.
And for leaders? These lessons apply everywhere—boardrooms, classrooms, hospital corridors, and family tables. Because whether we’re navigating illness, injustice, or the everyday weight of responsibility, the belief that “I can do this” is where resilience begins.
🎯 Digital short: “Self-efficacy is confidence with endurance.”
But here’s the deeper layer: Emotional Intelligence is the engine that keeps self-efficacy alive.
• Self-awareness allows us to notice when doubt is creeping in and prevents it from becoming the silent driver of our choices.
• Self-regulation steadies us when emotions are high, creating the pause between panic and purposeful action.
• Reality testing keeps us grounded in facts, separating fear from truth so we can move forward with clarity.
• Motivation sustains us when results are slow or setbacks come hard, reminding us why the struggle matters.
• Self-regard whispers that we are worthy of the fight, worthy of the effort, and capable of rising again.
• Empathy and social skill build the supportive networks that remind us resilience is never solitary.
Together, these EI competencies don’t erase hardship—but they transform how we walk through it. They turn survival into strength, and strength into leadership.
So, as you step back into your world—whether as a patient, a caregiver, or a leader—remember this: confidence is not bravado. It’s not pretending you have it all figured out. It’s trusting yourself to handle what comes, one choice, one promise, one act of perseverance at a time.
If today’s episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs a reminder of their strength. And don’t forget—you can subscribe to Leadership Lessons with Dr. Fredrick Lee II on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or directly at leadershiplessons.transistor.fm.
Until next time—
Be steady.
Be resilient.
And lead with confidence that persists, guided by Emotional Intelligence.