Self-doubt in management: overcoming imposter syndrome in 5 steps

On the simultaneity of success and uncertainty

I know this quite well from my own story. In the world of managers, where decisions can decide the fate of companies and the lives of many people, there is often a hidden enemy lurking: self-doubt, insecurity, sometimes even real fears.

Modern psychology also has a specific term for this: imposter syndrome, also known as impostor syndrome. This phenomenon, in which people doubt their performance and fear being exposed as incompetent or even as „frauds“ or „impostors“, is surprisingly common among top managers and senior executives. Despite their successes and positions of power, many managers struggle with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, especially in pressure situations, questioning their abilities and fearing that they are not really fulfilling their role - while everyone looks on mercilessly.

You might think that rising to the top of a company would protect you from such doubts. However, the opposite is often the case. The higher up you go, the more intense the pressure to succeed and the greater the risk of experiencing these paralyzing feelings.

It is a paradox that success does not protect you from self-doubt and fear of failure, but can even intensify them.

This blog post is intended to provide insights and strategies for those who struggle with this impostor syndrome and want to overcome their self-doubt. Whether you are a seasoned leader or a first-time leader, understanding and methodically overcoming these feelings can unlock a new level of authenticity and effectiveness in your leadership style.

Let me start with a real example.

How the Imposter Syndrome works

Let's take the story of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) in a large mechanical engineering company. Let's just call her Alex. In a difficult time of cost-cutting and layoffs, Alex was tasked with making painful but necessary decisions to ensure the company's survival and future growth.

Their task was as clear as it was tough: reduce operating costs by a fifth within the first year and by a further fifteen percent in the second year. Closing three sites in the same period, while at the same time setting up a new production site in Eastern Europe.

Despite her extensive experience and proven track record, Alex was increasingly plagued by anxiety and self-doubt. To the outside world, she was known as the “tough cookie” in the company. But how ruthless would she come across in the media? Would she make wrong decisions that could no longer be corrected? Would she then perhaps be seen as too weak by her CEO and even worse, by the Supervisory Board, if she didn't achieve everything? And what would her husband say to this murderous mill she had been in for at least two years, would their partnership be able to withstand it?

She constantly questioned her decisions, worried about the impact of redundancies on the lives of employees. She was afraid of making mistakes that could jeopardize the future of the company. Which could jeopardize her own future.

These feelings were exacerbated by her high expectations of herself and led to sleepless nights full of fear of being exposed as unfit or even as an „impostor“ who was not really suited to real leadership roles. Her inner critic had a battlefield in her thoughts and feelings. How was she ever going to get rid of her self-doubt?

Then came the decisive moment. From one day to the next. The television interview. The panic attack. Your blackout.

What psychology says

The term “Imposter Syndrome” was first coined in 1978 in a joint article by the two psychologists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes. In it, they wrote about their observation that many highly successful women believe that they are not particularly intelligent and that their achievements are overestimated by others. Instead, they would attribute their successes to chance or simply luck, while attributing failures to their own lack of ability.

However, recent research has shown that it affects people regardless of their gender, in different professions and at different stages of their career. And further psychological studies have shown that up to 40% - what a staggering number - has been shown to affect successful people temporarily or permanently.

The question of where self-doubt comes from and what drives people was also examined. Why do so many people tend to criticize themselves so much or have too high expectations of themselves? The following, probably unsurprising, causes of self-doubt (e.g. childhood experiences) and symptoms emerged:

• High family expectations
• Overprotective parents or guardians
• Feeling of belonging to a socially unaccepted minority (e.g. skin color, religion)
• Perfectionism
• Depression, anxiety and mental illness
• Serious illness or the loss of an important parent
• Low self-esteem
• Sexual or physical abuse

Very good information, links and sources on the current state of psychological research can be found on the English Wikipedia page.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

The path to overcoming imposter syndrome

So if you look in the mirror and realize or somehow feel that you could be affected, the question naturally arises: How do I deal with it? How can I perhaps even overcome it?

Some strategies have proven to be very effective. You can actually take the following tried-and-tested steps step by step, methodically and successively.

Step 1: Recognizing and acknowledging your own feelings

The first step in overcoming excessive self-doubt is, of course, easier said than done: it is to recognize and acknowledge Impostor Syndrome.

Your own negative thoughts and emotions - i.e. self-doubt, insecurity, perhaps even fear or even a creeping feeling of panic - are quite simply an expression of negative self-talk and irrational beliefs in such moments. Becoming aware of this irrationality is the first and crucial step.

By recognizing these thoughts when they arise, you can begin to question and challenge their validity. This self-awareness is crucial to breaking the cycle of doubt and fear that Imposter Syndrome loves to feed on.

Step 2: Building a support network

A strong support network is invaluable for leaders struggling with Imposter Syndrome. The great value of the support network is to bring rationality into one's own world of thought. The view from the outside, the mirroring of one's own words. The honest feedback on your own performance. The professional, methodical approach. All of this helps you to replace negative self-talk with constructive and appreciative exchange.

This network can include friendly colleagues, experienced mentors and trusted family members who offer encouragement and perspective. In addition, external management coaches (yes, I mean people like myself) or therapists can offer professional guidance and strategies for overcoming feelings of inadequacy and negative self-image.

This network can help you understand the causes of your Imposter Syndrome and develop individualized approaches to increase your confidence and assertiveness in your role.

One phone call is enough to get the ball rolling.

Step 3: Reframing your thoughts or the smiling diary of successes

Together with your support network, you can now begin to reorganize your thoughts and challenge the negative beliefs that underlie Imposter Syndrome. This includes moving from an attitude of self-doubt to one of self-compassion and a realistic assessment of your abilities and achievements.

Develop new beliefs together with your support network. Create places and routines where and how you “preach” these new beliefs to yourself again and again. Yes, I can do that. Yes, I know who I can rely on in my network. Yes, failure is part of it. Straighten your crown and move on!

They can start by writing down their achievements and the skills they have used to achieve them. Like a kind of appreciative inventory of skills. A self-confident, smiling diary of small and large successes. A readable and measurable analysis of your own work. A visualization of the steps you have mastered.

Well, how does that feel just reading it?

Step 4: Celebrate achievements and successes

Celebrating your own successes is certainly unfamiliar territory for self-doubters at first. You don't necessarily have to have a big party to do this.

But if you have already started the above-mentioned “Smiling diary of small and big successes”, it is perhaps only logical to praise yourself. Right from the first entry. And perhaps it's also a good idea to thank the key people in your support network when something goes well. Or to your employees. Meet your boss for dinner and tell them about the progress made in the project. Actively seek praise and recognition.

Celebrating large and small successes strengthens the recognition of your own competence and contribution. It reminds you of the value that you as a manager have for your company and your team.

A particularly nice way of celebrating success is to say thank you. To employees, colleagues, network partners... This not only boosts people's motivation, but very often brings you at least a smile and positive feedback. Saying thank you is worthwhile! On this topic I have written a Blogpost with video, which you can find here.

• https://christoph-kopp.com/danke-sagen-als-manager-5-tipps-fuer-die-motivation-im-team/

And if something goes wrong... celebrate that too. Take the horror out of failure. Because every failure has something good at its core. It always leads to new insights, new ideas, new paths, new approaches. You just have to look for them and then thank them. You could even write it down in the “Smiling Diary”...

Step 5: Build self-care as a habit & routine

You oil your car regularly and machines are serviced as a matter of course. You pay attention to processes and employees too. It all sounds perfectly logical to managers. Strangely enough, however, many managers reject self-care as esoteric humbug.

Self-care means nothing more than building a system for yourself that gives you the energy to invest and pass on elsewhere. Otherwise, without constantly recharging your batteries, your own system will eventually run more and more jerkily until it comes to a standstill (e.g. burnout, psychosomatically induced physical complaints...).

There are perhaps almost as many ways to build a “self-care” system as there are people. Therefore, the following seven tips are just an initial list of hopefully inspiring possibilities. Pick the ones that make you smile the most and just get started. What you like the first time you try it out, continue and let it become a routine that you also maintain in your calendar.

Every month, every week, every day.

1. Mindfulness and meditation: Incorporating mindfulness practices and meditation into your daily routine can help you manage stress, reduce anxiety and focus better, making it easier to deal with the pressures of leadership and the challenges of Imposter Syndrome. Google what courses are available in your area. Adult education centers often offer excellent introductory courses.
2. Morning affirmations: Start the day with positive affirmations that focus on your strengths, abilities and achievements. This can help to create a positive mood for the day and gradually change your attitude from self-doubt to self-confidence.
3. Seek professional help: If Imposter Syndrome is significantly affecting your wellbeing or job performance, you should consult a psychologist or an experienced coach (yes, I am happy to help). Professional counseling can provide you with individual strategies and support to better manage these challenges.
4. Mentoring: It can be of great benefit to find a mentor or, even better, to become one yourself. A mentor offers you the opportunity to find your bearings, get feedback and support you by giving you insights into perhaps new perspectives or other methods.
5. Continuous learning: Commit to lifelong learning, be it through continuing education courses, reading or attending workshops and conferences. This not only expands your skills and knowledge, but also strengthens your network and your reputation as a competent and open-minded leader.
6. Networking: Building and maintaining a strong professional network can provide a sense of belonging and support. Connecting with like-minded people in your industry can reassure you that your experiences are not unique and that others share similar challenges.
7. Go for a walkSounds less exciting than spinning in the gym. But it can be a real treat to simply go out for half an hour and consciously breathe in the fresh air. A kind of meditation without having to sit still. Let thoughts come and go. Take in your surroundings. Feel your own steps, maybe even count them. Consciously de-focus from everyday life.

Self-empathy as a transformative tool

Of course you know this definition of empathy: “Empathy is the ability and willingness to recognize, understand and empathize with the feelings, emotions, thoughts, motives and personality traits of another person”. That's the definition from Wikipedia (you can find the Wikipedia entry, which is well worth reading, here:

• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathie)

What may be new for you is that empathy can also be used methodically and very consciously towards yourself. The trick is to be as empathetic towards yourself as if you were your own team member. For leaders struggling with Imposter Syndrome, self-empathy can be a transformative tool that enables them to manage their fears and self-doubt with kindness and understanding rather than judgment and criticism.

Promotion of self-empathy

The path to overcoming Imposter Syndrome begins with promoting self-empathy. This means treating yourself with the same compassion and understanding that you would show a friend or coworker in a similar situation. By first recognizing and then acknowledging their own problems and emotions without judging themselves, leaders can begin to mitigate the harsh internal criticism that feeds the Imposter Syndrome. Self-empathy promotes a more balanced view of one's own abilities and achievements and facilitates the shift from an attitude of inadequacy to one of self-acceptance and confidence.

In the best sense, this is a new level of self-understanding, from which a good and healthy self-image, a completely new self-image and self-esteem can grow.

Promoting a culture of openness

However, classic empathy towards others, as defined above on Wikipedia, also has very positive effects when working on Imposter Syndrome.

Empathy in leadership is not only about individual change, but also about fostering a culture of openness within the organization. By modeling vulnerability, admitting mistakes and openly discussing challenges, leaders set an example that it is safe for others to do the same. This openness fosters a supportive work environment where team members feel valued and understood, which encourages them to take risks, innovate and voice their own concerns and ideas without fear of judgment.

Empathetic leadership has a profound impact on team dynamics and performance. When leaders show a genuine interest in the wellbeing and development of their team members, it builds trust and loyalty and improves collaboration and efficiency. Teams are more willing to get behind a leader who they feel understands and supports them, leading to greater engagement, creativity and productivity.

To summarize, empathy and self-empathy in leadership are far more than just „nice-to-have“ traits. They are crucial components in overcoming personal challenges such as Imposter Syndrome and promoting a positive, inclusive and high-performing corporate culture. A good attitude towards yourself makes you independent of external circumstances. By showing empathy towards themselves and others, leaders can lead more authentically and effectively and unleash the full potential of their teams and organizations.

The goal: A new quality of life

Imposter syndrome is a common challenge that affects many leaders, regardless of their success or position. It is usually a hidden struggle that can undermine self-confidence, fuel anxiety and impact leadership effectiveness.

The surprising thing, however, is that overcoming Imposter Syndrome is not only possible, but also a path that can lead to a completely new quality of life and profound personal and professional growth.

From recognizing and acknowledging your feelings to admitting vulnerability and seeking feedback, every step you take is a step towards a more authentic, confident version of yourself!

The free download checklist

Download the free checklist “And here I come!”. This checklist will help you to take concrete first steps to overcome Imposter Syndrome.

I wish you every success!