Have you ever sat in your desk chair, looked over at the nameplate on your door, and thought, "Any minute now, they're going to realize they've made a terrible mistake hiring me"?
If so, welcome to the not-so-exclusive club of successful leaders battling imposter syndrome. Trust me, I’ve spent more nights than I care to admit staring at the ceiling, wondering when everyone would figure out I was making it up as I went along. That nagging voice with all the lies—"You don't belong here"—doesn't discriminate. It whispers to new managers and seasoned executives alike, including yours truly and pretty much every accomplished leader I've worked with over the past two decades.
I still remember taking over as Education Division Chief in 2018 as if it were yesterday. I was suddenly responsible for a team spread across the entire state of Arkansas—a place I barely knew. Every morning, I'd walk into the office juggling impossible tasks: learning an unfamiliar culture, finding my way around the building, memorizing dozens of names, and somehow projecting confidence about a job I was still figuring out. Talk about feeling like the imposter in the corner office!
Each evening, I'd drive home with The Fray's Over My Head (Cable Car) blasting through my car speakers—the song isn't about leadership, but the lyrics Everyone knows I'm in over my head, over my head... became my personal anthem. 🎵
What kept me going? A simple daily practice. During that same drive home, I'd force myself to mentally list everything I'd done that day to help my team succeed—even the smallest wins. "I connected Kelly with a resource she needed." "I cleared that administrative roadblock for Grant." "I gave useful feedback that helped improve that presentation."
This little ritual didn't magically cure my imposter feelings, but it did something powerful: it shifted my focus from what I didn't know to the actual value I was bringing, even while feeling completely out of my depth.
The Real Cost of Feeling Like a Fraud
According to Harvard Business Review, imposter syndrome can sabotage your leadership in several critical ways:
- It erodes your self-confidence. Despite your accomplishments, you struggle to internalize success, creating a cycle of self-doubt and hesitation.
- It cranks up your anxiety. The constant fear of being "found out" creates unnecessary pressure and fast-tracks you to burnout.
- It kills your ability to be innovative. When you're terrified of making mistakes, you stick to safe, conventional approaches rather than taking calculated risks.
- It undermines your presence. Your feelings of uncertainty leak into how you interact with others, making you appear less decisive and authentic.
- It clouds or slows your decision-making. When you're second-guessing yourself constantly, making clear, confident, timely decisions becomes nearly impossible.
This Week's Leadership Code Word: AUTHENTIC
Being an authentic leader doesn't mean you have all the answers—it means being honest about what you know and don't know, and confident in your ability to figure things out. When you drop the exhausting fraud act and lead with transparency, you not only feel better, you actually become more effective and trustworthy in the eyes of your team.
Unlock Your Authenticity: Start These Strategies Today
Recent insights from the Forbes Business Council confirm what we've all experienced—imposter syndrome is universal in leadership, but conquerable.
The secret that transformed my own leadership journey? Embracing authenticity. When I stopped worrying about how to be the "perfect leader" and started showing up as my real self—someone with both strengths and growth areas—something remarkable happened. I slept better. And, my team trusted me more, not less. They felt permission to be authentic, too, creating a culture where real innovation could happen.
Authenticity doesn't mean oversharing or abandoning professionalism. It means acknowledging when you don't have all the answers, being transparent about challenges, and demonstrating genuine curiosity about solutions. It's sharing credit generously while taking full responsibility. It's leading from a place of truth rather than pretense.
Here's your path to more authentic and less imposter-y leadership starting today:
📝 Document your wins daily. Create a "Leadership Wins" folder where you record accomplishments and positive feedback. As leadership expert Egor Kirin notes, "When you define the benefits you bring, there will be no room left for doubts." List three leadership actions you took this week that made a positive difference.
👥 Activate your support squad. Identify two people this week who can become your "reality checkers"—peers or mentors who understand leadership challenges. Schedule a coffee with one of them and be brave enough to share your imposter feelings. I think you will be relieved to find that nearly everyone you talk to will resonate with your experience.
🔑 Join forces with other leaders. Don't battle imposter syndrome alone! Leaders who invest in coaching and training programs with built-in communities overcome self-doubt faster. When you hear peers confess the same fears you've been hiding, that "I don't belong" feeling starts to dissolve, replaced by practical strategies that actually work.
The next time imposter syndrome creeps in (and it will), practice this 3-step process:
- Recognize: "I notice that I'm having deceptive thoughts that are causing me to feel like I don't belong in this role."
- Challenge: "Despite feeling uncertain right now, I know this isn't true because I've successfully led my team through [specific accomplishment]."
- Reframe: "This discomfort is normal, and it means I'm becoming a stronger leader."
And if all else fails, take comfort in leadership researcher and neuroscience expert Dr. David Lenihan's advice: "Keep going. Eventually, that persistent feeling of guilt, uncertainty, and insecurity that follows you around will gradually fade away." Sometimes, leadership is simply about staying in the game long enough for your confidence to catch up with your capabilities.
The most dangerous imposters aren't the leaders who occasionally doubt themselves—they're the ones who never do. A healthy dose of humility combined with earned confidence is the sweet spot of authentic leadership.
P.S. If you know a colleague who might be silently battling imposter syndrome, forward this article their way. Sometimes knowing we're not alone in these feelings is the first key to overcoming them. 🔑
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