Am I good enough? Dealing with the imposter syndrome

Even the most accomplished executives wrestle with feeling like a fraud. Understanding and managing imposter syndrome is essential for leaders who want to perform at their best.

Every senior leader who claims they’ve never felt like an imposter is either lying to you, or to themselves—because real growth means stepping into rooms where your confidence hasn’t yet caught up.

Dealing with the imposter syndrome

Key takeaways

• Leaders who experience imposter syndrome should recognize that moderate insecurity is not a weakness—it can actually sharpen your decision-making and keep you grounded in reality.
• When you’re invited to contribute outside your comfort zone, don’t let self-doubt hold you back; accept the opportunity and let others determine your value rather than self-rejecting.
• Making peace with your own insecurity is a powerful step—embracing it allows you to move forward, take risks, and ultimately grow both personally and professionally.

Late 2008. I was working at a Fortune 500 company as a senior manager. I was 39 and I increasingly felt I needed to change the course of my professional life. My timing was terrible with the Financial Crisis raging through the world. And I was starting my own firm. But despite the external conditions, I went through with my plan. I founded my business in March of 2009.

I had just come back from the Chamber of Commerce and the telephone rang. On the phone someone I met during a workshop that I participated in a couple of years earlier. Her husband, she told me, was a general surgeon. They were doing great but could also benefit from adding more leadership and real-life management experience to their team. At first, I was completely surprised to receive such a request. It never came to my mind to be asked for something like this. Surgeons are often put on a pedestal. And I had no experience in this field of work. So, my first thoughts were: 'Am I good enough for them?' And: 'can I really make a difference?'.

Well, it turned out very different. Over the following decade we partnered in several projects. And still do! They help their patients as good as they can. And I add my business and leadership experience that enables them to optimize their practice. But, in all honesty, I had to overcome my self-doubt when I received that first call: was I good enough to work with them? What I suffered from is known as the imposter syndrome.

Most of us suffer from the imposter syndrome at some points during our professional lives. And that’s only human. So, what can you do if you experience the imposter syndrome?

It’s completely normal to feel some insecurity. I learned that a moderate level of insecurity also keeps me sharp. I’ve learned to make peace with feeling a little insecure.

Don’t avoid it but confront yourself. Break through your own barriers. If you get asked, just do it anyway and let others decide if you are good enough. You’ll often be surprised.

Don’t let your emotions overwhelm you. Take some distance, place yourself in the shoes of the other person and try to see things from their perspective.

Talk to someone. It’s therapeutic to share and none of us has all the answers! Use the soundboard of someone you trust and get perspective.

See it as a building block for professional growth. You will experience that the more you expose yourself to challenging situations, your self-confidence grows with each step.

Now, we’d love to hear what your experiences are with the Imposter Syndrome. Join the conversation on our public channels or send me an email via

True leadership isn’t about banishing self-doubt, but learning to act boldly in its presence—because the courage to move forward, even when uncertain, is what sets real leaders apart.

Over to you.