Almost every leader I’ve ever met has had a moment of self-doubt at some point in their careers. It’s usually when they approach a new challenge that’s bigger or radically different from anything they’ve faced before. It’s a function of self-preservation to do what should be an honesty check, but instead, it often comes out as fear. Sometimes that fear becomes impostor syndrome. It’s astonishingly common. I hear about it from clients regularly.
No leader I’ve ever met at any level or organization has had 100% perfect mastery of everything they are doing and will ever do. That’s impossible and, frankly, boring. It means nothing ever changes with the people, the organization, or the industry. It means zero fun challenges and growth.
Some leaders I’ve coached wrestle with impostor syndrome because they think they must be perfect out of the starting gate. They don’t give themselves the opportunity to stretch. What makes an amazing leader isn’t just their mastery of experience and knowledge; it’s how they approach and handle new challenges and opportunities to learn.
I recently heard a high-performance psychologist talk about the simple difference between people who meet audacious goals and those who don’t. The people who reach their goals view the mountain of challenges ahead and identify the capacities, tools, and resources they have to scale the mountain. The people who don’t reach their goals assume they don’t have what it takes, or the ability to learn what it will take.
My clients make astonishing breakthroughs in conservation, science, technology, climate solutions, social justice, and more. Here are the consistent traits I see in them:
- Successful leaders approach what they don’t know with a humble but voracious desire to learn and do new things.
- They have a rich mentorship and learning support system (through mentors, peers, coaches, and/or books) to help them face new challenges.
- They listen to and trust their inner authority.
- They acknowledge mistakes and pivot quickly.
- They listen to the wisdom from their team without compromising their values or clarity.
So, if impostor syndrome creeps in, here are tools to help you overcome fears that could derail you.
Five Practices to Overcome Impostor Syndrome
1. Track What You’ve Already Accomplished
Most people, especially busy, high-achieving leaders, don’t take the time to reflect and celebrate what they have accomplished, learned, and the ways they’ve grown. As a coach, I track and reflect on my clients’ growth. I’ve learned that these impromptu rituals of celebration are important. It reminds them of the foundation of excellence they’re standing on. If you’re like most of my clients, your foundation is better and stronger than you think.
The reality is that you have already done hard things and faced big challenges successfully. You can do it again.
If you aren’t already, I recommend that you create rituals for celebrating:
- The challenges you’ve faced recently and what you learned from them
- Hard things you’ve accomplished
- The strengths you have now that you didn’t at the start of the year/a role/etc.
Doing this with others is often critical; a coach, friends, peers, or even your team will point out things you missed. Plus, it’s powerful to celebrate each other. I have facilitated many celebrations during annual team retreats. It transforms a defeated, tired, and/or worried team into an enthusiastic and empowered one.
2. Renew Your YES
Reconnect to your personal mission and why you said yes to this challenge in the first place. Feeling connected to your Big Why can help propel you through challenges.
If this doesn’t work, then it may be time to ask if the challenge you’re facing is right for you. Though it’s rare, every once in a while a client’s impostor fear illuminates misalignment. As we unpack it, we discover they are called to a different set of challenges and actions instead.
3. Surrender Perfection.
Leadership can’t be about perfection. It’s too complex and multi-dimensional. If you use your Inner Perfectionist as the primary operating system for your work, it will be painful.
Years ago, I worked with a leader who used the Inner Perfectionist too much and regularly experienced impostor syndrome. It was hard for her to accept her mistakes, pivot, and apologize when necessary. She drove herself to unnecessary stress because she was constantly worried about being and doing “good enough.” She took a health sabbatical because the stress finally caught up with her. Fortunately, the sabbatical gave her the space to shift her relationship with her Inner Perfectionist.
The Inner Perfectionist isn’t bad – it’s useful in some circumstances. It was never designed to drive the bus and be your primary operating system for leadership. Give perfectionism its right place and space, but use it consciously and intentionally rather than as a default.
4. Create a Strategy to Meet the Next Challenge
You don’t have to have it all figured out. But it does help to map the next steps you’ll take to approach this challenge. Consider:
- The first and most simple steps you can take
- The assets you currently have to meet this challenge
- The gaps you have and how or who might help you fill them
- What you want and need to learn to meet this challenge
- An honest timeline for meeting your goal.
I recommend running your strategy past your coach, advisor, mentor, etc. so they can add additional insight and possibilities.
5. Engage Your Army of Support
Think of your support army as a rich ecosystem that supports you and your work to thrive. This ecosystem can include mentors, supportive peers, coaches, your board of directors or manager, external advisors, etc. Who will you need to walk with you in this next growth phase?
Any fear, including impostor syndrome, feeds itself in isolation. Know that you are not alone in your fears and that there are people who can help you grow and meet this next wonderful challenge.
Ultimately, facing a new stretch is exciting. If it’s time for you to climb the next big mountain, I celebrate you!
Stay tuned for the next article in the Grounded Confidence series about how to navigate arrogance, humility, and self-dismissal.
If you could benefit from mentorship, support, or coaching, try a free 30-min intro session: Schedule a session with me.