Why Feeling Like a Fraud is a Sign of Great Leadership
“I feel like an imposter”
These are not my words and it’s not the full sentence.
These are the words of Seth Godin, the author of 19 International Bestsellers on marketing, leadership, and change.
And the full sentence as written in his book “The Practice“ is: “I feel like an imposter, at least when I’m doing my best work”.
When I came across this sentence I was amazed.
Not by the fact that someone like Seth Godin, still feels like an imposter. We know about other celebrities like Michelle Obama or Maya Angelou that spoke about doubting themselves and how they struggled with the fear that one day people will find them out.
What amazed me was noticing the link between feeling like an imposter and doing our best work. And a thought came to my mind:
Can Imposter Syndrome be a sign of great leadership?
How would that change our performance and our impact as individuals and as teams?
And that’s what we will be exploring together: how embracing the imposter syndrome can lead to great leadership, the pitfalls to be mindful of, and the strategies to make that happen.
Let’s start by checking:
Shouldn’t great leaders feel like imposters?
Think about it.
Leaders inspire themselves and others to take action in order to move toward a vision. A vision that more often than not was never achieved before.
Can they guarantee that this vision is going to happen? No, they can’t. How could they?
Would that make sense, then, that they doubt whether they have what it takes to make it happen? If not how can they adapt, adjust and become aware that they need to innovate and push the boundaries?
So when leaders feel like imposters because they cannot guarantee success, that’s a sign that they care enough. That’s a sign that they are brave enough to take the challenge despite the fear of “being found out”.
Doubt and fear are healthy signs, signs that we don’t want to let ourselves or others down. But the trick with feeling doubt or fear is that they don't feel good.
And because they don’t feel good, they can be perceived as signs of weakness and inadequacy especially in the domain of leadership. And we try to get rid of them. We hide the fear and we transform the doubt.
And these are exactly the pitfalls we need to be mindful of:
Pitfall #1: Transforming doubt into inadequate certainty:
The discomfort of doubt, of not knowing, can be so overwhelming, that we lure ourselves into a false sense of certainty. The certainty that we are not good enough. We are capable of convincing ourselves of our own inadequacy despite all of the recognition. We are capable of ignoring the reality of our accomplishments and explaining them away as luck or team effort
To avoid hiding behind this false sense of certainty, we need to acknowledge the reality- The reality of the doubt, of the uncertainty, and of our value. We balance the doubt of the future with the certainty of the past and present. We remember the past and we explore the present.
How is that?
To remember the past:
Take a moment to look back at your past accomplishments by refreshing your CV. Sometimes we forget how much we have achieved and how far we have come. By reviewing our past successes, we can recognize our capability, resilience, and value. Look at your CV and make sure it speaks about you, using verbs that show action. Remember moments of success and achievement, and acknowledge them.
To explore the present:
Explore your present successes and achievements. When you hear that voice in your head saying "I was just lucky" or "It wasn't really me, it was the team," be curious and ask yourself, "Is that really true?" Challenge your certainty and bring the doubt back. And when someone compliments you, ask for specific feedback: "Thank you for complimenting the way I run the meeting, what specifically did you like about that?”. And use performance reviews to get accurate feedback on your capabilities.
A note for managers:
Be generous with positive feedback and give it quickly, no need to wait for formal reviews.
Be specific about what you appreciate in your team members. Don't just say "great job," but instead mention specific details about what they did well. That's how you can help your team members recognize their value and contribution.
Pitfall #2. Hiding fear behind the mask:
We think that fear is inappropriate. That we shouldn’t feel it and if we do, then that is the confirmation that we’re not at our place.
So we put on a mask to hide it. We pretend that we know even when we don’t. We may become cautious around our coworkers to avoid being exposed or start acting bossy as a defense mechanism. We may also compensate for our fear by working harder and longer. These actions can drain our energy, damage our relationships, and hurt our performance.
To avoid this pitfall, the strategy is simple: Remove the Mask.
When you feel doubt or fear, acknowledge them for what they are: healthy reactions showing care about performance and results and discernment about uncertainty. " I’m doubting myself and I feel like an imposter- That means that I care and that I’m expanding beyond what I know."
Use this as a motivation to improve and learn.
And as you do so, you let go of the mask, and you release the need to have all the answers.
Acknowledging that you don't know can build trust and respect with your team. It allows you to seek input from others and ask questions, promoting collaboration and creating a respectful culture.
A note for managers:
We tend to dismiss these feelings of doubt when we see them in others especially when we know how capable they are. We might say things like "Don't worry, you'll do great" which could make them feel even more inadequate. Instead, it's important to acknowledge their fear or doubt. Share your own vulnerable experiences to show that it's okay to feel this way.
Good leaders lead by example, not just words. Make sure they know that you support them and have their back. This will create a sense of safety, trust, and engagement.
In a world that is displaying accelerated change, and unprecedented challenges- we are all imposters whenever we pretend we know it all.
And when we care enough and we are brave enough to take action and move forward, that’s great leadership. Caring is the sign of what you value, bravery is the certainty of who you are.
So when you notice these imposter feelings coming up for you or your team, acknowledge the signs, see the opportunity to connect and to build trust and be curious - because that discomfort is a sign that something new is ready to emerge.
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