Imposter Syndrome is a GOOD thing!
- Jun 15, 2025
- 2 min read
Yes, I said it - Imposter Syndrome is not a bad thing. Many leaders will tell you that impostor syndrome, leading into a new role, sets them up for success.
Before jumping in, let's talk about the impostor syndrome definition: "The persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's efforts or skills."
Let's say you are struggling with impostor syndrome in your role. You finally got the promotion you worked so hard for, but instead of celebrating, you're hit with "I am not ready, or I don't have the skills."
Do not label yourself as going through Imposter Syndrome, and do something about it because it will continue to haunt you until you address it.
First, ask yourself, is it a fake "Imposter Syndrome" or a factual "Imposter Syndrome"
Fake "Imposter Syndrome" is based on lies. To distinguish lies from facts, ask yourself -
What is missing for me to be ready to take on this role?
Do I already possess the skills and capabilities to perform this role?
What do I need to address?
If you do not receive any answers yourself, talk to a colleague or your mentor. If you still don't get any answers to the "missing part," then nothing is missing !!!
You already have what you need to perform to your potential in this role.
Factual "Imposter Syndrome" is based on facts. You ask yourself the same questions as you did before, but now you get concrete answers on what skills or capabilities you are missing to perform this new role to your full potential.
Once you have identified this, take these next steps -
1) Identify how you can gain these missing skills. It can be a course, books, training, etc
2) Find people in your group who have these skills and get practical advice from them
3) Start applying the learnings in your job
Imposter Syndrome is something that you can easily fix, and it is a good thing because it will make you better at your job and will make you a better leader.
Comments