Imposter Syndrome

Why people second guess their effectiveness

Many folks believe that their success is not deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of their efforts or skills. This is colloquially known as “imposter syndrome.” While this phenomenon doesn’t have a formal DSM-V definition, diagnosis of anxiety, depression, burnout, and other mood disorders are often associated with it. Imposter syndrome is often considered more prevalent and intense within the tech industry compared to other fields. This is largely due to the rapid pace of technological advancements, the constant need for upskilling, and the often high-pressure environments of tech teams. No doubt the pace of advancements in AI are only making this worse. However, this phenomenon happens across all industries and walks of life.

We don’t have to look very hard to find quotes and stories of highly respected and accomplished people who have some amount of imposter syndrome. A notable author recounted meeting Neil Armstrong at an event where the astronaut said, “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.” The author’s take was that if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did.

A systematic review published in the journal Current Research in Behavioral Sciences did a meta-analysis of 108 studies with more than 40,000 participants to determine if imposter syndrome affects men and women differently. The study found that women consistently score higher on measures of impostor syndrome and were consistent across different time periods and a variety of fields. Michelle Obama on a book tour for Becoming, stated, “I still have a little impostor syndrome… It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.” Maya Angelou, civil rights activist, author, poet and Nobel Laureate, said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”

Obviously imposter syndrome is not limited to women. Christian Dior, French fashion designer and founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, wrote in his autobiography Dior by Dior, about creating a character that he played to overcome his imposter syndrome. He wrote “Having entered very late into this profession where others had spent a lifetime learning, and having had no training to guide me except my own instincts, I had always been afraid of betraying my ignorance of it. Perhaps it was this very fear of remaining the perpetual amateur that spurred me on to brush aside my doubts at last, and invent the character of Christian Dior, couturier.”

This brings us to a group of people that no matter how good individuals are, they seem to almost universally dismiss their greatness…guitarists. Examples include Jimi Hendrix who when confronted with the idea that he was considered the best guitarist in the world said he might be the best guitarist in the chair that he was sitting in. Another is Mark Knopfler who responded similarly that it was “nonsense” and then goes on to say how he’s likely a “guitar teacher’s bad dream” because of the way he plays is so awkward.

I think there is a reason in particular that guitarists often dismiss the notion that they are the best and it’s because there are so many styles and techniques. Besides the acoustic and electric varieties of guitars, there are multiple ways to play each. Just on the acoustic you have singer/songwriter, flat picking, flamenco, percussive, and many, many more. That range in style makes it almost impossible to compare one player to another in any objective way. What looks unorthodox to one musician might be the very thing that defines another's brilliance, so rather than feeling accomplished, many guitarists feel merely different. Since no one can play every style, they all think someone else is better.

I think an area that has a lot of imposter syndrome, management, has the same issues as guitarists. There are so many different styles that can work, many people feel inadequate when compared to others.

“Impostor syndrome is a paradox:

-Others believe in you

-You don't believe in yourself

-Yet you believe yourself instead of them” – Adam Grant

Many traditional discussions of imposter syndrome focus on internal traits, perfectionism, fear of failure, and the so-called “superhero” mindset where people feel they must do everything, do it perfectly, and do it alone. These narratives suggest the problem is primarily internal: a person sets unrealistically high standards or attributes success to luck rather than competence. While those factors certainly contribute, they don’t fully explain the kind of imposter syndrome that often shows up in leadership roles. One of the less acknowledged but pervasive causes is the sheer ambiguity of what “good” management looks like. In leadership, there’s no single, accepted rubric to follow, no gold standard you can measure yourself against. That ambiguity itself can be destabilizing.

This is because management, like guitar playing, has a wide range of viable styles. One manager might achieve incredible results by being hands-off and empowering their team to make decisions autonomously. Another might be highly detail-oriented and deeply involved in execution. A third might focus on emotional intelligence and team cohesion. All of these approaches can work, depending on the company, the moment, the team, and the individual. But if you only see one dominant archetype around you, or worse, if you're surrounded by many, all different, you may begin to question whether your own style is “wrong,” even when it's working. Unlike roles with clear technical outputs, management often operates in a space where success is felt more than seen, unfolding over quarters or years. This murkiness makes it easier for self-doubt to creep in.

That feeling is compounded by comparison. Especially in tech, where leadership often happens in the open, via Slack updates, town halls, or performance reviews, leaders are constantly exposed to the ways their peers lead. It’s easy to look at a charismatic speaker or a visionary strategist and feel like you fall short. You might be more process-oriented or introspective, and while those traits can be exactly what your team needs, they rarely get the spotlight. The problem isn’t that one style is better than the other, it’s that we interpret difference as deficiency. Just like guitarists dismiss their skill because they can’t play like someone else, managers often internalize imposter syndrome when they don’t lead like others, even when their teams are thriving.

The path forward is not to chase the “right” leadership style but to accept that there are many, and the real challenge is finding the one that aligns with your strengths and your context. The multiplicity of effective approaches isn’t a bug in the system, it’s a feature. Leadership, like art, is highly contextual. What works beautifully in one environment may flop in another. Recognizing this turns the ambiguity from a source of anxiety into a space for authenticity. You don’t need to lead like your mentor or your manager or that keynote speaker you admire. You need to lead in a way that reflects your values, leverages your strengths, and adapts to your team’s needs.

That shift, from comparison to reflection, is key. Instead of asking, “Am I doing this like the best leaders I know?” ask, “Is my approach helping my team succeed?” Self-trust in leadership isn’t built by finally adopting the perfect style; it’s built by being intentional, listening closely, and adapting thoughtfully. Confidence, in this view, isn’t about certainty, it’s about coherence between your actions and your impact. When you stop needing to conform to someone else’s mold, you create space to lead in a way that is not only effective, but sustainable. And in that space, imposter syndrome begins to lose its grip.

P.S.

While imposter syndrome can quietly undermine capable leaders, the opposite mindset poses its own risks: the narcissistic leader who believes the company’s success is solely the result of their brilliance. These leaders often view themselves not just as essential, but as irreplaceable. They rewrite the narrative so that every major win points back to them, minimizing the role of the team, luck, timing, or external market forces. Where the imposter struggles to internalize success, the narcissist refuses to share credit.

Ironically, both mindsets distort reality, one by underestimating personal impact, the other by exaggerating it. But where imposter syndrome often leads to caution, listening, and over-preparation, narcissism can drive poor decisions, unchecked risk-taking, and a toxic culture that stifles dissent. A healthy leader lives somewhere between these extremes: confident enough to lead, humble enough to listen, and wise enough to know that great outcomes are almost always team efforts.

The best leaders don’t believe they’re the sole reason for success, or that they’re secretly a fraud. They believe something much harder: that leadership is a shared responsibility, and that success is usually collective, fragile, and worth being grateful for.