Leadership & the Imposter Syndrome

Both leaders suffered from the imposter syndrome. They are not unusual. Seventy to eighty percent of leaders have experienced the impostor syndrome. They are deeply concerned that they are not qualified to be in their leadership positions. They attribute their success to luck or the overestimations of others. They doubt their accomplishments and are fearful of being exposed as a fraud. Those caught up in this syndrome find themselves trying too hard, pretending they’re okay, and feeling anxious about being found to be lacking. The dread of being found out and relentless self-doubt can cloud judgment and hinder their ability to be assertive, affecting their effectiveness. Like our two leaders, they may seek validation in ways that are counterproductive, leading to burnout and decreased effectiveness. The leader of the organization development unit in a large high-tech outfit in Silicon Valley and a caption in the U.S. Navy reacted differently to their imposter syndrome. They used the fear of being found out to overcompensate. <a href="https://medium.com/leadership-lessons-learned/leadership-the-imposter-syndrome-af3ab5ca574c">Click Here</a>