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Combat Leadership Imposter Syndrome

Pause for a moment and think about your first day in a new position. The pay was well above what you’d earned previously, the benefits were excellent, and you were surrounded by exceptional professionals who were perfect at their jobs. It sounds a bit intimidating, does it not? When I imagine myself in this situation, I feel slightly anxious. While that may be part of it, this situation may also bring about leadership imposter syndrome. 

Defining Imposter Syndrome 

Imposter syndrome is feeling consistently incapable despite unmistakable successes. In the case of leadership imposter syndrome, the feelings relate to that of leaders and their role as such. Someone with adequate education and experience to fulfill a leadership role yet feels self-doubt regarding their ability is a leader who suffers from leadership imposter syndrome. The feelings of inadequacy can bring about some major problems in leadership that must be addressed. 

The Issue with Imposter Syndrome in Leadership

You may be thinking, imposter syndrome cannot be that big of a deal – you move forward and get past it! Unfortunately, it isn’t always that simple. Leadership imposter syndrome can leave leaders stuck in a position that they are overqualified for. It can create issues in reaching more success. Perhaps worst of all, it can damage relationships and self-worth.

Why Me? Personal Experiences with Imposter Syndrome

I’ve experienced imposter syndrome plenty of times in my short 31 years. For example, I was hired in the IT department during undergrad despite never working in the industry before. I wondered why they hired me – and it took me some time to figure out that I belonged there. Creating Your Leadership Evolution has also been a source of leadership imposter syndrome for me! Sure, I’ve almost completed my DBA in leadership, but I’ve never been in a leadership role at a Fortune 50 company!

Why do I get these feelings? It’s hard to say exactly what drives them. I can say from experience that they sometimes seem to come from nowhere. Let’s check out some signs for leadership imposter syndrome for some additional clarity.

Early Warning Signs of Leadership Imposter Syndrome

There are times when leadership imposter syndrome can sneak up on you. You might be surprised to realize that you’ve struggled with it and never had a name for it. Do some of these early warning signs of imposter syndrome ring true to you?

  • Unaccepting of accomplishments or unable to feel deserving of achievements
  • Worry of being revealed as inexperienced or underqualified
  • Desire to avoid feedback
  • Inability to make a quick decision or consistently rethink previous decisions
  • Struggle with asking for help
  • Cannot start or complete projects
  • Working too much to prove yourself
  • Rejecting new opportunities

You can likely see how these warning signs might be damaging to one’s confidence and success as a leader. Are these experiences common in all levels of leadership? Yes and no. 

New Leaders with Imposter Syndrome

New leaders are prone to imposter syndrome for several reasons. They are given a lot more responsibility that they’ve not had before, which can be daunting. Even though new leaders were chosen for their roles based on their previous accomplishments, it is not always easy to relate those successes to leading a team. Truthfully, becoming a leader can be a heavy ask for someone unfamiliar with it. (This is why it is important to prepare new and future leaders early on!)

Leadership Imposter Syndrome: Handling Challenging People

Some organizations will experience challenging people that only worsen imposter syndrome. When leaders earn a promotion or are hired over someone else, there is room for some negativity to worm its way onto the team. Consider how it might feel to think you would be getting the new leadership position only to lose it to someone that you felt would not do as well. Leading that person might require handling their feelings regarding the loss.

When a colleague comments on their perceived shortcomings of you, or gossips about a previous failure, you may start to feel the leadership imposter syndrome kick in. It’s normal to feel this way when someone doesn’t see your value. However, it is crucial to address the issue head-on so that no further problems develop. 

20 Ways to Combat Leadership Imposter Syndrome

Knowing that you don’t have to simply live with leadership imposter syndrome may be helpful. In fact, there are several ways to combat imposter syndrome. Here are 20 that can help you to realize your place as a leader:

1. What Does Success Look Like?

Define what success means to you in your role as a leader. Write it down. Make it a checklist if that works for you. Whatever you do – don’t allow yourself to fall into a mindset based on failure or potential failure that uses someone else’s definition of success. Your success checklist might look like this:

  • Make 15% more money this year (as compared to last year)
  • Exceed quarterly sales goals by 10%
  • Mentor 2 people by having bi-weekly, in-person, individual meetings

Or, your success checklist could be entirely different. It might be more like this:

  • Turn off work communication and planning after 6 pm daily
  • Organize a mental health awareness challenge with 80% team participation
  • Increase employee retention rate by 20%

Whatever your version of success is, write it down and keep track of it. There is no need to measure your own success by someone else’s standards. 

2. Cultivate a More Positive, Growth-Centered Mindset

If you’ve never read Mindset by Carol Dweck, I highly recommend getting your hands on this book! Dweck explains how a person’s mindset can be their reason for success or failure in life. Children who were taught that they were born with a particular talent will grow up to believe that the talent they were praised for is all they’ve got going for themselves. These children have no drive to learn other skills and talents because they have the mindset that one talent is their thing

Imagine how that mindset might apply to leadership imposter syndrome. Since great leaders continually grow, learn, and apply knowledge to new situations, the idea that you cannot do so will limit your abilities. Fortunately, you can work to change the things you were taught as a child. Although a child that is taught to have a growth mindset from the get-go has an easier time adapting to leadership, an adult that adopts a growth mindset can achieve great things, too. 

You can combat imposter syndrome with positive thinking and a plan to grow consistently. Give it a try!

Focus on a growth mindset to battle leadership imposter syndrome. Photo depicts a woman in workout clothing fist pumping her growth.

3. Keep a Gratitude Journal

Gratitude is essential to developing resistance to leadership imposter syndrome. When you’re focused on the things you believe you cannot possibly do, make a conscious decision to write down what you’re grateful for. You’ll stop thinking about what you think you can’t do and begin to think about the things that go right in your life. 

You might think, I can’t give this presentation today without stuttering and making a mess of it. Stop. Then write, I’m grateful for the time I had this morning to practice my presentation. 

Or, you could be thinking, There’s no way I can get this team to communicate well. Stop. Write, I am grateful for the education I have in communication. 

It might seem like a slight change in thinking; in reality, it’s enormous. This tiny habit can change how you think about your perceived inadequacies. 

4. Offer Others a Voice

When you’re thinking that your colleague would be far better to speak on a topic, let him. As a leader, you don’t have to be the one front and center all the time. Instead, as the leader, you can give a voice to those that may not have been heard before. If Pam is the best to turn to regarding financial matters, let Pam have the floor. If Phil is far more knowledgeable than you about social media, let Phil speak. 

As a leader, you don’t need to know it all or say it all. Share the floor. You might discover how much respect you garner as a leader in this way. 

5. Acknowledge the Value of Leadership

If you’re feeling out of place or like an imposter in your leadership role, it’s time to acknowledge the value of leadership. Leadership imposter syndrome fails to recognize the importance of your role: belief in your vision. When you genuinely believe in your leadership vision, you want to share it with your people. By focusing on that sole value, everything else can more easily fall into place. 

Leadership imposter syndrome cannot stand up to a true belief. When you are the best person for the job, your belief can push you forward, and out of the rut you were in. Remember the value of leadership and chase the imposter syndrome away. 

Valuing leadership is vital to overcoming leadership imposter syndrome. Photo shows a finger touching the word "value."

6. Identify Others’ Achievements

Part of being a leader is to recognize people for their wins. When feelings of inadequacy begin to set in, focus on ways your team has won recently. As the leader of the team, their wins are your wins! Pump them up, acknowledge them publicly, or even buy their morning coffee for doing great work. This is a leader’s role, too. When you feel like you’re not good enough, help someone else. You may discover that you are not an imposter at all. 

7. Remember: It’s Okay to Ask for Help

Leaders are not expected to do everything on their own. In truth, when a leader fails to ask for help, disaster is likely to happen sooner or later. By asking for help, you’re letting people know that you cannot do it all – and that’s great! You’re human and need to be seen as such. That means you need to treat yourself as a human, too. So, ask for help! Imposter syndrome can take a back seat while you learn to give yourself a break. 

8. Reach Out to a Trusted Colleague

Do you have a colleague that can tell you the truth, even when it’s hard? Get in touch with them! You can share your fears with this person, and they may remind you of what you’ve done worthy of success in the past. If you’re worried about a big project you’re leading, they might remind you of a project you did most of the work on a year ago. Sometimes all it takes is someone that knows what you can do to remind you of it. 

The photo shows a handshake. Trusting a colleague to tell you the truth about your capabilities can be valueable.

9. Design an Inclusive Organizational Culture

Designing a culture sounds intense. It is intense. Changing an existing culture is much more complex. Start with the design before implementing the change – you must know what culture you want to cultivate. Developing an inclusive organizational culture will help you to get the imposter syndrome off your back.

In an inclusive culture, you can feel safe in knowing that your team knows how you feel. An inclusive team will allow you the time to be human and have fears. That team will also see your value. When an organizational culture fails to give in to your leadership imposter syndrome, you can take charge and get the wins that you are aiming for. 

10. Invite Questions from Colleagues

You might want to try an open-forum-style discussion with your colleagues to allow them to address any questions they may have. The process will help you understand how much you know – and what you don’t. Remember, it is okay to answer a question with, “I don’t know.” An honest answer lets your team see that you are not perfect.

When you do answer a question with, “I don’t know,” work with your team to discover an answer. Showing them how to problem solve can be a great way to teach them and yourself how to rise to the occasion. 

11. Trust Your Team

Building trust is no easy feat, especially as a leader. However, building trust means that you must start trusting your team first. Where you expect to fall short, trust your team to pick up the slack. Make sure your team is aware of your weaknesses so that they can act accordingly. You can combat imposter syndrome in this way by depending on the team rather than you alone.

12. Take Feedback Seriously; Use It as a Development Tool

Extend the trust from #11 by accepting honest feedback and acting on it. It will do nothing to receive feedback, ignore it, or receive it and get defensive. Instead, listen to what your team members have to say. Accept it as truth and make a change to improve upon what you’ve heard. 

You might think receiving constructive criticism might be difficult when you feel like an imposter. While this might be true, it is also true that receiving criticism will allow you to improve upon it. You don’t have to take criticism as a permanent quality – make a change and watch your performance soar. 

Accepting feedback can help you to grow, thus combating leadership imposter syndrome. The photo depicts a woman sharing feedback with a man.

13. Leadership Imposter Syndrome Requires a Mentor

If you suffer from leadership imposter syndrome, it will be wise to obtain a mentor. Mentors often start as someone who knows of you but is willing to get to know you more for a mentoring relationship. These people tend to be a few steps ahead of you in life and work. They can be someone that you admire or want to be like. Make sure you find a mentor who:

  • Will invest time in you
  • Is willing to network
  • Will provide honest feedback
  • Possesses active listening skills
  • Has the ability to motivate and build confidence in you
  • Is enthusiastic about sharing expertise

By spending time with and connecting with a mentor, you can have someone in your corner who believes in you and your abilities. They may even have some imposter syndrome experiences of their own to share. 

14. Test Your Thinking with Someone Out of Your Circle

Sometimes you need an outsider’s point of view to break through that imposter syndrome. Reach out to a friend or acquaintance that does not work with you and is not invested in you. Share your thoughts about your inadequacies with them and ask for their honest opinion on the matter. Someone that is not directly involved can be insightful and help you to see what you’ve missed.

15. Employ Leadership Imposter Syndrome as Your Partner

Accept that leadership imposter syndrome is going to be present sometimes. Imagine it as a partner that works as the devil’s advocate. He says, “You can’t do that.” You say, “Yes, I can. I did something similar before.” He says, “You don’t have the experience for this.” You say, “I have education mixed with experience.” Pretend your inner imposter voice is simply trying to get you to find the positive. Looking at it this way is far less daunting!

16. Be Honest About What You Know and Don’t Know

I’ve said it before and will likely say it again: don’t pretend to know what you don’t know. It is okay that you don’t know everything. In fact, life would be a little boring (and sad) if you did know everything. Tell people when you just don’t know. And tell them when you do know. There is a necessary balance so that you aren’t the “know it all boss” or the “clueless leader.” Tell the truth! It’s okay!

Being honest will help you combat leadership imposter syndrome. Photo shows woman placing hand over heart in a display of sworn honesty.

17. Be Wary of Your Self-Talk

How do you talk to yourself? Be honest. Would you talk to a friend or loved one the same way you talk to yourself? For most people, the answer is no. 

When you look in the mirror and you see a few wrinkles, you might say to yourself, “I’m getting old and ugly.” But when you see a friend with very similarly placed wrinkles, you say nothing or comment on how good they look. When you mess up on a project, you attack your intelligence or belittle yourself. But when a friend messes up, you tell them, “It’s okay to make mistakes! You’re only human!”

It’s time to start talking to yourself like you would a friend. Tell Mr. Imposter Syndrome that it’s time to sit down. You’re friendly self-talk is in charge now. 

18. Have Some Self-Compassion

Self-compassion relates to how you talk to yourself. It involves a little more than just self-talk, however. A book on the topic by Kristin Neff indicates that self-compassion involves mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity. 

Mindfulness helps you to be in the present moment. You can look at a situation and see what is truly happening – not the bad things your mind tells you. Mindfulness invites the truth in a way that pushes leadership imposter syndrome out the door.

Self-kindness involves self-talk but also how we treat ourselves. You want your loved ones to eat well and have a balanced diet. You, too, should eat well and have a balanced diet. Surviving on iced coffee and energy bars is not kind to yourself, nor is listening to imposter brain.

Common humanity involves acknowledging and accepting that you, just like everyone, will fail. You will make mistakes. You will face hardship and challenges. This does not make you less than. It does not make you unworthy. 

19. Remember Your Accomplishments

You feel like you are not cut out for the job, even though you have a long list of accomplishments. When you feel like you can’t do anything right, focus on what you have done correctly before. Scan through your accomplishments in your mind, write them down, or say them out loud. Whatever it takes to remember those successes in your life – do it. 

Achievement recognition is important for combating leadership imposter syndrome. Photo shows woman celebrating.

20. Watch Out for Burnout!

Burnout can be the result of a lot of things. You might be overworked, overtired, or mistreated. When this happens, you can burn out. Burnout leaves you feeling like you just can’t do anything else. It also allows imposter syndrome to take root. Prevent burnout by taking the necessary time off, resting as you should, and standing up for how you should be treated. 

Combat Leadership Imposter Syndrome

Friends, leadership imposter syndrome doesn’t have to keep that weight in your stomach. Let it go! You’ll feel free in being the leader that you have worked to be.