By Natalie Pickering, PhD
Imposter phenomenon, referred to as imposter syndrome, is shorthand for high achievers who privately fear they are frauds– and that at any time, they will be found out.
It is typically framed as a confidence issue. Leaders are told to reframe their mindset, internalize the good stuff, challenge maladaptive thinking, or “just own the room” and “fake it until you make it.”
If imposter syndrome were simply about underestimating ability, performance data would resolve it. Instead, many leaders feel more fraudulent as their visibility increases.
It doesn’t.
Many founders, executives, and senior leaders experience imposter feelings most intensely after promotion–when visibility increases, authority expands, and stakes rise.
They have earned the role. And still they wonder: Do I actually belong here?
Multiple research streams suggest that imposter feelings are especially likely during leadership transitions. Leadership identity theory shows that advancement requires internalizing a new leader identity -beyond just acquiring new skills – and that identity disequilibrium is common as authority expands (Lord & Hall, 2005; Day & Harrison, 2007). Transition research similarly shows how self-doubt and identity stretch in newly elevated leaders (Ibarra, 2015). Imposter phenomenon is consistently linked to anxiety and evaluation stress (Bernard et al., 2002; Bravata et al., 2020).
Because promotion increases visibility, scrutiny, and responsibility, these findings collectively support the conclusion that imposter feelings are especially pronounced when role expansion outpaces identity integration.
The Prevalence Is Real — and Rising
Imposter phenomenon was first described by Clance and Imes (1978) among high-achieving women. Subsequent research has demonstrated its presence across genders, industries, and cultures.
A 2020 systematic review in Journal of General Internal Medicine found that imposter phenomenon is associated with:
- Burnout
- Emotional exhaustion
- Job dissatisfaction
- Psychological distress
- Anxiety and depressive symptoms
(Bravata et al., 2020)
More recently, a 2025 global systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 studies totaling more than 11,000 health service providers estimated the prevalence of imposter syndrome at approximately 62%, and showed strong links to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout (Salari et al., 2025).
Imposter phenomenon is not rare.
It is structurally common in high-performance environments.
To understand why imposter feelings endure at senior levels, we must examine identity.
Leadership Requires Identity Reconstruction — Not Just Skill Acquisition
Leadership development research consistently shows that advancement requires identity growth and transformation.
- Lord and Hall (2005) describe leadership development as progression from skill-based performance to identity-based leadership.
- Day and Harrison (2007) argue that internalizing a leader identity is foundational to sustained effectiveness.
- Herminia Ibarra’s research on leadership transitions demonstrates that leaders must experiment with provisional identities before fully inhabiting new roles (Ibarra, 2015).
When competence expands faster than self-concept, a gap emerges. That gap is where imposter phenomenon lives.
A leader may objectively:
- Oversee larger budgets
- Make strategic decisions
- Carry larger enterprise responsibility
But internally still identify as:
- The expert rather than the strategist
- The individual contributor
- The outsider who must prove legitimacy
- The over-preparer who survives through doing it all alone
Without identity integration, advancement feels borrowed and every new level feels conditional.
The Neurobiology of Evaluation and Belonging
Imposter phenomenon intensifies under evaluation. Dickerson and Kemeny’s (2004) meta-analysis on social-evaluative threat showed how perceived judgment or threat to someone’s status lights up a cortisol (stress) response. Research also links imposter phenomenon with higher trait anxiety, higher emotional reactivity under stress, and emotional exhaustion (Bernard et al., 2002; Hutchins & Rainbolt, 2017)
Leadership roles are saturated with evaluation:
- Investor scrutiny
- Board reviews
- Regulatory oversight
- Public visibility
- Social comparison via metrics
Under stress, the nervous system scans for belonging and legitimacy. Anxiety increases not necessarily because performance is lacking, but because status is uncertain.
Leaders often misinterpret physiological activation as evidence of incompetence.
It’s what expansion feels like before identity stabilizes.
Why Cognitive Reframing Alone Falls Short
Cognitive interventions target thoughts.
But identity operates beneath conscious cognition.
This research clearly shows that a consistent and well-defined understanding of oneself protects people from psychological distress. Specifically, lLeadership research connects strongly internalized leader identity with leader effectiveness.
If identity remains externally fused such as “I am as good as my last performance” then of course confidence precariously fluctuates with outcomes. But if identity becomes internally integrated like “Leadership is part of who I am” you’ll see performance as expression rather than never-enough proof.
Practical Identity-First Interventions for Leaders
- Conduct an Identity Audit. Quarterly, ask:
- Who did I have to become to reach this level? Am I okay with that?
- Which traits were adaptive in earlier stages? How can I use them now?
- Are there parts of me being overextended? Which ones? Why?
- What only-mine leader identity is required at this level?
Leadership growth necessitates intentional identity updating.
- Separate Performance from Personhood
When receiving feedback, explicitly distinguish tactical, strategic, competency refinement from identity threat. Put a 3×5 notecard on your screen or change your phone’s home screen to state: Feedback improves my performance; it does not define my legitimacy.
3. Anchor Identity to Values vs. Volatility
Define leadership identity through:
- Decision integrity
- Long-term stewardship
- Contribution to mission
- Ethical clarity under pressure
- The value that brought you to this work
The Deeper Reframe
Imposter phenomenon among leaders is not evidence of incompetence. Rather, it is often evidence of unintegrated growth.
When identity catches up with achievement, confidence stabilizes-not because doubt disappears. But because the self becomes coherent under pressure.
You can’t outperform an identity you haven’t updated.
photo credit: Arek Socha via Pixabay
References
Bernard, N. S., Dollinger, S. J., & Ramaniah, N. V. (2002). Applying the big five personality factors to the impostor phenomenon. Journal of Personality Assessment, 78(2), 321–333.
Bravata, D. M., et al. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275.
Campbell, J. D., et al. (1996). Self-concept clarity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(1), 141–156.
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The impostor phenomenon. Psychotherapy, 15(3), 241–247.
Day, D. V., & Harrison, M. M. (2007). A multilevel identity-based approach to leadership development. Human Resource Management Review, 17(4), 360–373.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Self-determination theory. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.
Dickerson, S. S., & Kemeny, M. E. (2004). Social-evaluative threat. Psychological Bulletin, 130(3), 355–391.
Hutchins, H. M., & Rainbolt, H. (2017). Imposter phenomenon among faculty. Human Resource Development International, 20(3), 194–214.
Ibarra, H. (2015). Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader. Harvard Business Review Press.
Lord, R. G., & Hall, R. J. (2005). Identity and leadership development. Leadership Quarterly, 16(4), 591–615.
Oriel, K., Plane, M. B., & Mundt, M. (2004). Impostor phenomenon among residents. Family Medicine, 36(4), 248–252.
Salari, N., et al. (2025). Global prevalence of imposter syndrome in health service providers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Villwock, J. A., et al. (2016). Impostor syndrome and burnout. International Journal of Medical Education, 7, 364–369.
