Stepping into a new leadership role is an exciting but challenging journey. As you strive to make a positive impact and lead your team to success, you might find yourself grappling with a common foe: imposter syndrome. This nagging self-doubt can undermine your confidence and hinder your ability to lead effectively.
Impostor syndrome is stunningly common — research suggests that 70 percent of people will experience these feelings at some point in their lives. Often, people who feel like impostors limit themselves from exploring new opportunities or areas of interest, which can be devastating for executives.
As an executive leadership coach, I believe it’s important for new leaders to have a few strategies to help them conquer the impostor syndrome. Here a few to strategies to help a new leader thrive in their role:
Acknowledge Your Achievements: Imposter syndrome often arises from a fear of being exposed as a fraud. Combat this by recognizing and celebrating your accomplishments. Take stock of your skills, experiences, and achievements that have led you to your leadership position.
Embrace Continuous Learning: New leaders don’t have to know everything from day one. Embrace the mindset of continuous learning. Seek out opportunities for growth, attend leadership workshops, and learn from experienced mentors. Remember, leadership is a journey, not a destination.
Seek Mentorship and Guidance: Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from seasoned leaders or mentors who have navigated similar challenges. They can offer valuable insights, share their own imposter syndrome experiences, and provide guidance on building your leadership confidence.
Set Realistic Expectations: Perfection is unattainable, and new leaders often place unrealistic expectations on themselves. Focus on setting achievable goals and milestones. Recognize that mistakes are part of the learning process and not signs of failure.
Cultivate Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Imposter syndrome thrives on self-criticism. Instead, practice self-compassion and understand that everyone, even the most successful leaders, faces moments of self-doubt. Treat yourself with the same empathy you offer to your team.
Imposter syndrome is a stunningly common challenge as a new leader, your ability to conquer imposter syndrome not only benefits you but also inspires your team.
Lead From Within: Impostor syndrome is not unique to leaders, but it is a rite of passage in almost every leaders successful career.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 7 Ridiculous Reasons You Feel Like An Imposter At Work
- How the Imposter in You Can Derail Your Leadership
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- How to Stop Thinking Like an Imposter
- How to Deal with the Imposter Within Us
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.