Leaders with imposter syndrome and what we can do about it

Reading time: approx. 6–8 minutes

The higher people climb, the more often they hear a quiet thought: "Soon everyone will realize I'm actually not capable." Not because they are incapable, but in spite of it. The imposter syndrome is more common among leaders than many realize.

The impostor phenomenon is considered an individual problem – a lack of self-confidence that can be remedied with the right inner attitude.

In this article, I argue, based on current research, for a different perspective: Impostor feelings are often not a personal weakness, but an understandable reaction to certain organizational conditions. And that changes where we should start.

What the impostor phenomenon is – and why the word matters

The term was coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes . They described the paradox that particularly successful people are unable to recognize their achievements as their own, but instead attribute them to luck, chance, or deception.

Their choice of words is noteworthy: they spoke of a phenomenon , not a syndrome. A syndrome suggests a disorder in the person. A phenomenon is an experience that arises under certain conditions.

This difference is precisely the key to understanding.

The most comprehensive review to date, by Dena Bravata and colleagues, demonstrates just how widespread this experience is : Across 62 studies with more than 14,000 participants, the reported prevalence varied considerably depending on the study. This wide range is itself revealing – it suggests that context plays a crucial role, not just personality. Bravata also found clear links to burnout, anxiety, and depression.

The Reframe: Impostor feelings as a signal, not a defect

In 2021, Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey published one of the most widely read articles on the topic ever in the Harvard Business Review : "Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome".

Their argument: We have redefined a structural problem as a personal one – thereby shifting the pressure onto individuals instead of changing the conditions.

Their core idea is essentially this: instead of constantly trying to fix people, we should fix the places where they work. Because someone who is the only person of their kind in a room – the only woman in the group, the first manager without an academic background, the only one with a different origin – experiences the feeling of not belonging not as a figment of their imagination, but as an accurate perception of their surroundings.

Individual experiences remain real and must be taken seriously. But their cause often lies in the interplay between the individual and their environment. This leads to a different guiding question for organizations: not "How do we make our people more self-confident?", but "Which of our structures systematically generate self-doubt?"

Four such structures occur particularly frequently:

• missing or distorted representation

• a lack of honest feedback, which increases with each hierarchical level.

• Cultures that reward infallibility and punish uncertainty

• a constant acceleration that never allows for a sense of achievement.

The surprising flip side: What impostor thoughts can also cause

One of the most exciting new studies comes from organizational researcher Basima Tewfik. Through four sub-studies with more than 3,600 people – including employees in the investment sector and doctors – she investigated how impostor thoughts affect the workplace.

The result contradicts common assumptions: people who experienced more frequent imposter thoughts were perceived by others as more interpersonally competent. The reason lies in a more other-oriented attitude – they listen more attentively and are more approachable. Self-doubt and high effectiveness are therefore not mutually exclusive.

Tewfik explicitly emphasizes that this is not a trivialization: imposter thoughts can be extremely stressful. But her research dispels the myth that these thoughts inevitably undermine performance. For many sufferers, this is a relief – self-doubt is not proof of incompetence, but often an expression of diligence and a sense of responsibility.

Leaders with imposter syndrome: What really helps: Recommendations for action on three levels

Because the impostor phenomenon arises on multiple levels, it also requires starting points on multiple levels.

The following recommendations are deliberately specific – something you can try out starting tomorrow.

For yourself

Distinguishing thought from fact: Impostor feelings often manifest as apparent facts: "I can't do this." The first step is to mark this thought as a thought—not as a truth. "I'm having the thought that I'm not competent" is different from "I am not competent."

This subtle linguistic shift originates from cognitive behavioral therapy and creates distance between stimulus and response. In practice, it helps to ask yourself in such moments: Would I say this about a colleague who has accomplished exactly the same thing as me? The answer is usually: no.

Keep an evidence log. Impostor syndrome stems from distorted accounting: successes are explained externally ("luck," "good timing," "the team"), failures internally ("typical me"). A simple remedy: For several weeks, keep a written record of specific successes – and consciously note your own contribution to them.

Not as self-aggrandizement, but as a correction of a systemic imbalance. Anyone who rereads the logbook in moments of doubt suddenly has evidence instead of just feelings.

According to Bravata's review , talking about it directly is one of the most effective approaches. The reason: Impostor syndrome thrives on the assumption that one is the only one with these doubts.

As soon as it becomes clear that even those who seem to be in control are familiar with it, this isolation breaks down. Specifically seek out one or two people you trust and address it directly – not in the sense of "I'm not feeling well," but "Do you know what I mean?"

You'll be surprised how often the answer is yes.

For managers

Making one's own insecurity visible in measured doses

A leader who never shows uncertainty creates a team that believes uncertainty is forbidden. Conversely, someone who says, "This task is new to me too; let's figure it out together," gives permission.

The word "measured" is important: it's not about self-exposure, but about an honest, calm form of humanity. This is lived psychological security – and it is the strongest antidote to impostor cultures because it makes the mask so many wear unnecessary.

Give specific feedback

Vague praise like "well done!" paradoxically fuels impostor syndrome because it can't be anchored – it could simply be politeness. Concrete feedback, on the other hand, gives the experience of competence a point of connection: "Your analysis uncovered precisely the flawed thinking that three others overlooked."

Such precise feedback is hard to dismiss as mere nicety – and that's precisely why it works. As a rule of thumb: praise that can't be refuted because it's specific helps combat self-doubt.

Pay special attention to the "ones".

Anyone who is the only person of their kind in the room – the only woman, the only person of a different background, the youngest – carries an additional, invisible burden. "You can do it" is of no help here; it can even lead to further isolation.

What works are genuine signals of belonging: an explicit invitation to share one's opinion, visible appreciation in front of others, targeted mentoring or sponsorship. It's about showing this person that they are not merely tolerated, but wanted.

For organizations

Understanding representation as prevention

Impostor feelings arise less frequently where people at all levels see someone similar to themselves. Visible diversity – in leadership positions, on stages, in decision-making bodies – sends a quiet but powerful signal: "People like me belong here."

This is not merely symbolic politics, but a powerful form of structural prevention. Organizations should therefore not only ask whom they hire, but also whom they make visible and promote.

Normalize learning instead of infallibility

In Cultures where mistakes are seen as weaknesses all wear a mask of sovereignty – and everyone believes they are the only one behind the mask. Organizations can break this by normalizing learning curves, errors, and open questions: in retrospectives where wrong decisions are discussed honestly, in leadership rituals that allow for uncertainty, and in language that doesn't frame every mistake as a failure. Where no one has to be perfect, no one has to feel like an imposter.

Review the feedback architecture

An often overlooked mechanism: the higher the position, the less frequently people receive honest feedback – and the larger the gap becomes that self-doubt fills on its own. Organizations should therefore ensure that managers also receive structured, honest feedback – through 360-degree feedback, peer-to-peer formats, or external coaching. Feedback is not a luxury for lower levels, but rather preventative action for everyone.

Conclusion

The impostor phenomenon doesn't disappear through affirmations or increased self-confidence alone. It loses its power when we put it into perspective: as a common human experience that rarely vanishes on its own as responsibility grows – and which often reveals as much about the structures in which we work as it does about ourselves.

The most effective approach is therefore twofold: treating yourself with more compassion – and simultaneously questioning the sources that fuel self-doubt. More on this in the corresponding podcast episode.

Do you want to bring this topic into your organization?

Impostor syndrome, psychological safety, and healthy leadership are closely linked – and they can be taught without resorting to blame or self-improvement rhetoric.

As an organizational psychologist and keynote speaker, I combine current research with what really happens in organizations – clearly, thoroughly and on equal terms.

I support organizations with, among other things:

• Keynote speeches on mental health, healthy leadership, and psychological safety

• Keynote speeches and workshops for management teams and people/HR departments

• Support during cultural and change processes

Let's get in touch

💭 Reflection questions to take away:

• The last time you achieved success – to whom or what did you attribute it? To yourself, or to circumstances? And would you judge a colleague who achieved the same thing in the same way?

• Is there a space in your work environment where you feel like "the only one" of your kind? And what would change if you understood this feeling not as a deficiency, but as information about the space?

• If you're a leader: When was the last time you acknowledged a personal insecurity to your team? And what – honestly speaking – sometimes prevents you from doing so?

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