Why Leaders Are Silent About Leadership Imposter Syndrome

How an executive coach and executive coaching programs can break this wall of silence…

After more than a decade as an executive coach, one of the striking things I notice is that many leaders would rather choose to silently endure the crippling effects of unmanaged leadership imposter syndrome as opposed to exposing it.

Even though my executive coaching program is largely based in Singapore, this issue is not unique to Singapore alone.

Are leaders silenced or keeping silent?

So why are there fewer conversations about imposter syndrome faced by those in leadership positions? Why are executives and managers in leadership conditioned to believe that talking about their struggle with this syndrome will cause their careers to implode?

Imposter syndrome is far more common than many people realise. Studies suggest that about 70% of all people have experienced this at some point in their lives. Even accomplished leaders and politicians (even Michelle Obama) have admitted to being there.

Here are some underlying reasons why leaders could be hesitant in talking about it:

They believe that it only affects leaders who are incompetent

The fact is that leadership imposter syndrome can affect anyone in any field, regardless of performance or experience level. There is no correlation between leadership imposter syndrome and the level of competence a leader has.

On the contrary, studies have shown that leaders who suffer from leadership imposter syndrome are actually highly competent as most of them have an innate desire for perfection that drives them to strive for greater levels of success.

Some researchers believe that the syndrome occurs in response to high achievement. It may sound ironic, but the high levels of achievement set unrealistic expectations for future performance and leave the individual feeling vulnerable. This can lead to feelings of inferiority, incompetence, and worthlessness, which then make it difficult for them to achieve their goals.

They believe that it will affect their “standing” as a leader

Many leaders keep silent at all costs about their struggle because they believe that bringing it out into the open will cause others to look at them in a different lens and tarnish the reputation that they have built.

The fear of others doubting their leadership, compounded by the unique mental, physical, and emotional challenges that leaders face on a daily basis, can make them reluctant to talk about their self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy.

Can leadership imposter syndrome be an advantage?

My experience as a leadership coach and as a leader myself has taught me an important principle: reframing is key.

Instead of ignoring the elephant in the room (aka leaving leadership imposter syndrome unaddressed), leaders should seize the opportunity to get an executive coach to help them to reframe their perspectives and potential misguided beliefs to turn their leadership imposter syndrome into an advantage.

Here’s some practical tips I share in my leadership coaching sessions on how to reframe your perspective towards leadership imposter syndrome:

Start conversations about it instead of keeping silent

As leaders, it is important that we learn not to allow our leadership imposter syndrome from limiting us from becoming the best versions of ourselves.

Being an executive coach based in Singapore, I believe in establishing trust with the leaders I coach, even though “opening up” can sometimes be unheard of in the Asian context.

In a world where we're constantly told that we need to be strong, powerful, and invincible, it can be a challenge for people who are genuinely vulnerable in some way to share their feelings.

Having such honest conversations with an executive coach you trust allows leaders to develop self-awareness in their leadership, understand how they process their emotions and thoughts, and identify how that translates to their behaviours that might impact their team.

Transform it to become your competitive advantage

The hallmark of a great leader is their ability to use every experience and struggle as fuel for growth.

Let me tell you this: I have never met a single successful person who didn't feel like an imposter, at least some of the time. 

What if you knew that feeling like an imposter is natural and nothing to be ashamed of? Our worst fears and insecurities allow us to push ourselves and challenge our limitations. We wouldn't dream of running a marathon if we didn't fear failure; this fear gives us the energy and motivation to train for months on end.

Leadership imposter syndrome does not have to paralyse you. You can take intentional steps to talk to a trusted executive coach who can give you the tools to channel this to become a competitive advantage because it reminds us that there is always room for growth and improvement.

Are these signs familiar?

If you are climbing the corporate ladder and feel a tinge of leadership imposter syndrome, don’t ever let it stop you from pushing the boundaries of what is possible. 

After journeying with many executives and C-Suite leaders through my leadership coaching program, you can take the same decisive step to take back control of your leadership growth by taking the same step they did.

Hit me up and start your executive coaching journey with me now!