Success Advice
3 Ways to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

Imagine you’re the head of a $250 million company. Sounds great, right? Except you’re challenged with your level of success. In fact, your anxiety is so overwhelming that you walk out of an exclusive CEO event to talk to your executive coach. Without that support, you wouldn’t be able to return to a room filled with other leaders — most of whom aren’t running businesses worth nearly as much as yours.
This is one of many examples of impostor syndrome. It’s also a true story shared by a dear friend of mine. Today, the company she led is valued at more than $1 billion. But she’s still working on overcoming the impostor syndrome she felt at that event.
Impostor syndrome is a never-ending conversation affecting up to 82% of professionals, according to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. But we can learn to appreciate that inner voice that says we don’t know what we’re doing without being defined by it.
How to Live With Impostor Syndrome
Impostor syndrome attempts to convince us that we’re not capable of meeting the next moments — despite our training or experience that proves otherwise. Often, it comes from something negative we were told or heard about ourselves from a parent, bully, teacher, frenemy, partner, or boss. Our minds hold onto the words that we perceive to be judgment levied against us, and we repeat those words over and over, particularly when we’re in challenging situations.
Impostor syndrome is common. But most of us hear this toxic, demanding voice louder than other more rational voices. I’ve had to work hard to live with my own impostor syndrome. And what I’ve come to realize is that there are upsides to that voice because it tells me exactly what I care about most.
Before you can discover the meaning behind your impostor syndrome, you have to learn to live with and listen to it. Here are three ways to leverage your impostor syndrome and turn it into a secret weapon:
1. Pinpoint the origin of your impostor syndrome.
Zero in on the voice of your impostor syndrome to determine who’s speaking. Often, your impostor syndrome is not your voice, but that of someone more critical when you were younger.
Next, consider the motivation behind the voice. What does it want to divert you from? If you understand its motivation, you can step back and question the voice. When you feel your impostor syndrome kicking in, recognize it for what it is — the voice of your fear — rather than allowing it to step into the driver’s seat, where it can run you off the road.
One of my favorite executive coaches, Bert Parlee, once described framing impostor syndrome voices as a “board of directors,” but to remember that you make the final call as chairperson. In other words, you get to listen to the voices around the table and then decide whose voice will influence your decision and whose concerns you’ll set aside.
Yes, it can be tough to push back against intense voices in your mind that want to hold your attention. Plus, it can be easy to confuse your impostor syndrome with “gut instinct.” However, the more you get to know your inner voices, the less power they have over you.
2. Identify situations that trigger your impostor syndrome.
Everyone has situations that wake their impostor syndrome. For some, it’s public speaking. For others, it’s meeting with a certain supervisor or client. For others, it’s a new opportunity. As you start to analyze the triggers of your impostor syndrome, you’ll uncover patterns that will help you predict when it might arise so you aren’t caught off guard when it does.
Anticipating the arrival of your impostor syndrome allows you to bypass the psychological blow of your sometimes cynical board of directors. That doesn’t mean you need to afford them too much of your time, though. Nevertheless, when you know your triggers, you can keep impostor syndrome from burrowing under your skin.
How important is it to learn to live with impostor syndrome rather than expending tons of energy resisting it? I’ve seen the resistance to impostor syndrome blow up partnerships, cause significant corporate revenue loss, and even destroy marriages — often without people ever realizing that impostor syndrome was the culprit of their downfall. So use discernment moving forward. You decide who and what is driving you to make decisions. When you have that awareness of your impostor syndrome, you’re less at the mercy of your own self-sabotage.
3. Reframe the story you tell yourself.
A huge reason impostor syndrome is so effective in bringing people down is that we don’t intuitively balance negative voices with positive, rational ones. We might understand where the voice comes from and argue with it, but we want to take the next step of adding positive “voices” to our board of directors. Those new voices can remind us of our talents, superpowers, and achievements.
Spend time listing the three most painful experiences of your early life. These might range from abuse you endured at home to the loss of someone close to you or missing out on an opportunity.
Next, consider each experience and zero in on the ways you helped yourself feel safe. I guarantee you did something creative to gain back some control over the situation. For example, if you had an abusive parent, you might have learned to become invisible to make yourself less of a target. Your early creative solutions became your superpowers. Consider how you adapted to each painful situation and what superpower you developed to feel safe again. Write down as much as you can about your creative approaches.
Lastly, list how you still use each superpower today. If you developed the power of invisibility, for example, you might have found it’s powerful to remain unnoticed in certain situations. Everyone’s faced adversity and leaned into some form of creativity to survive. By taking the time to connect the dots between your painful moments and resulting superpowers, you’ll be able to share the origin story of the work you do today in the world and why you were destined to do it. When you understand the root of your gifts, the voice of your impostor syndrome cannot help but quiet down.
You might be surprised at how this exercise both frees you and makes you a better resource for others. If you take the time to reroute your impostor syndrome voice, you’ll become better able to manage challenging situations. As a result, people will experience you as responsible, trustful, and graceful — and that will only help your professional relationships flourish.
You can live with and overcome impostor syndrome. No matter how many times it has thwarted your contentment and success, you can tame it for good. Like so many monsters and bullies, when you confront impostor syndrome face to face, it starts to lose its force — and you start to gain yours.
Success Advice
Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
Success Advice
What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)
Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
-
Build diverse talent pipelines
-
Embrace flexible work models
-
Design compelling career paths
-
Simplify HR processes
-
Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
Entrepreneurs
What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators
Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)
-
Personal Development4 weeks ago
Discipline Creates Freedom: Why Systems Make Success Sustainable
-
Change Your Mindset4 weeks ago
Why Ideas Are More Valuable Than Resources for Entrepreneurial Success
-
Entrepreneurs3 weeks ago
Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs
-
Health & Fitness3 weeks ago
The Surprising Link Between Exercise and Higher Income
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago
What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
-
Change Your Mindset1 week ago
7 Goal-Setting Mistakes That Are Secretly Sabotaging Your Success
-
Success Advice5 days ago
What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)