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Abstract: This article explores the important distinction between healthy doubt that can fuel creative problem-solving and growth, versus imposter syndrome which can undermine success and well-being for organizational leaders. It examines research showing how a degree of uncertainty can spur curiosity, exploration, and adaptation, contrasting this with the persistent self-doubt and perceived fraudulence of imposter syndrome. The article provides tools to help leaders identify which they are experiencing, and offers strategies to address healthy doubt constructively through inquiry and perspective-taking, versus imposter syndrome through self-compassion and support. Examples across industries like technology, healthcare, and education illustrate how leaders can harness uncertainty productively rather than letting it paralyze progress and well-being.
Feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty are common experiences for leaders in organizations. However, there is an important distinction between healthy doubts that can fuel creative problem-solving and growth, versus imposter syndrome which can undermine success and well-being.
Today we will explore the research on healthy doubt and imposter syndrome, provide tools to determine which is at play, and offer strategies that leaders can use to address each constructively.
Healthy Doubt: A Catalyst for Growth
Research shows that a certain amount of uncertainty can be advantageous for leaders. Festinger (1957) coined the term "cognitive dissonance" to describe the tension that arises when new information contradicts existing beliefs or behaviors. This discomfort spurs logical problem-solving and thoughtful reconsideration of one's assumptions. Similarly, Piaget (1932) viewed doubt as the driving force behind curiosity, exploration and adaptation - key steps in his stages of cognitive development. Healthy doubt prompts questioning and reframing that fosters creative solutions (Dutton & Ashford, 1993).
When harnessed constructively, doubt can energize leaders to:
Re-evaluate strategies and identify areas for improvement
Explore alternative perspectives before making important decisions
Admit gaps in knowledge and seek counsel from others
Remain humble and open-minded toward new opportunities
Avoid complacency and push existing boundaries
For example, the founder of a tech start-up may feel uncertain about an aspect of their product plan but use that as motivation to conduct user research, leading to an enhanced design. A hospital administrator with doubts about a new policy can facilitate staff feedback sessions that yield useful tweaks. A school principal questionable of a curriculum change may visit classrooms of early adopters for reassurance or ideas on refinement.
In these instances, self-doubt functions as a form of healthy skepticism that fuels ongoing learning and responsiveness to changing needs. When acknowledged and unpacked methodically, it need not undermine self-assurance or derail progress.
Imposter Syndrome: An Unproductive Spiral
In contrast, imposter syndrome describes an internal experience of persistent self-doubt and perceived fraudulence regardless of external evidence of competence (Clance & Imes, 1978). Those afflicted feel they do not deserve success and fear being "found out" as less capable than their accomplishments suggest. This undermines self-efficacy and leads to harmful rumination rather than constructive problem-solving.
Research suggests at least 70% of people experience imposter feelings occasionally, though it is more pervasive for some (Villwock et al., 2016). Common traits include:
Discounting praise and attributing achievements to outside factors like luck
Reluctance to accept opportunities for fear of failure
Chronic anxiety and procrastination due to perfectionist standards
Social withdrawal and reluctance to network out of "imposter" fears
Mental exhaustion from constantly needing to prove oneself
Physical health issues from long-term stress
If left unaddressed, imposter syndrome can damage career trajectory, satisfaction and mental well-being. For example, a gifted engineer may turn down a promotion opportunity due to feelings of fraudulence. An innovative principal may burn out trying to single-handedly implement every new idea. A physician with years of experience could second-guess treatment decisions due to imposter insecurities.
Distinguishing Healthy Doubt from Imposter Syndrome
The difference lies in perspective, impact and responses. Healthy doubt:
Spurs inquiry not avoidance
Feels temporary not chronic
Leads to renewed focus, not distraction
Is resolved through action, not rumination
Does not undermine confidence when dispelled
Imposter syndrome:
Triggers self-criticism not strategizing
Is disproportionate to feedback or credentials
Feels impossible to disconfirm through success
Persists despite evidence of belonging
Escalates anxiety rather than abating it
To identify which is at play, leaders can reflect on whether uncertainty:
Motivates problem-solving or paralysis
Has logical triggers or is disproportionate
Retreats with understanding or persists despite it
Leads to renewed focus or exhaustion
This self-awareness is the first step to addressing each constructively.
Addressing Healthy Doubt Positively
When doubts seem grounded and temporary, leaders can tap into curiosity and use inquiry to restore confidence. Open communication helps reality-check assumptions fueled by uncertainty. For example:
Discuss concerns transparently with trusted advisors
Pose doubts as questions to solicit different viewpoints
Schedule reality-checks with stakeholders impacted
Conduct small experiments to test hunches systematically
Note early successes openly to build momentum
Affirm strengths with examples to balance weaknesses
Reframing uncertainty as an opportunity fosters resilience. Leaders in technology like Jeff Bezos acknowledge, "If you're not stubborn, you'll give up on experiments too soon. And if you're not flexible, you'll pound your head against the wall and you won't see a different solution to a problem you're trying to solve.” With patience and perspective, certainty can emerge from doubt.
Addressing Imposter Syndrome Constructively
When doubts signal imposter syndrome, a compassionate inner dialogue and support system can help. Leaders can:
Track credentials to see competence objectively, not perfectionistically
Note successes of admired peers to normalize frailties
Affirm strengths with examples colleagues recognize
Mindfully pause self-criticism and substitute praise
Normalize imposter experiences through solidarity not separation
Reframe challenges as learning not failure to reduce stigma
Address physical health with self-care to ease rumination
Role models like Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg found value in acknowledging, "You can’t reach for perfection - you have to reach for balance and self-acceptance." With time and conscious effort, habitual thinking patterns can shift from harsh self-doubt to self-compassion.
For organizational leaders experiencing imposter syndrome, seeking counseling confidentially may speed progress. Leaders from Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian to Ogilvy chairman Martin Sorrell credit therapy with gaining perspective on insecurities. Demonstrating vulnerability can empower others and cultivate a psychologically safe culture where self-doubt feels normal and addressable rather than shameful.
Applying Insights to Industries
In technology, self-doubts often fuel high standards but can stall creativity, so leaders experiment deliberately. An AI founder combated imposter fears by crowdsourcing feedback on proof-of-concept demos rather than perfected products. This identified viable concepts efficiently.
In healthcare, life-or-death responsibilities aggravate self-doubt. A surgeon reflected on credentials each morning aloud to quiet perfectionism paralyzing technique. After listening to colleagues' humbling stories, many doctors felt less alone in their uncertainties.
In education, self-doubts complicate innovation pressure. A principal viewed initial fails as beta-testing, not failure, by surveying short-term feedback. Viewing herself as a coach, not expert, eased perfectionism about curriculum changes. She affirmed teachers' strengths to foster experimentation.
Conclusion
By understanding healthy doubt and imposter syndrome, and strategies to address each, leaders can reduce unproductive self-criticism and channel anxieties productively. With self-awareness, objectivity and compassion, uncertainty need not paralyze growth or satisfaction in leadership roles. It merely signifies that progress requires ongoing learning and iteration. Rather than seeing doubt and failure as weaknesses, the most impactful leaders recognize uncertainty as inevitable and even invaluable on the path to positive change.
References
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.
Dutton, J. E., & Ashford, S. J. (1993). Selling issues to top management. Academy of Management Review, 18(3), 397–428.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Piaget, J. (1932). The moral judgment of the child. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Villwock, J. A., Sobin, L. B., Koester, L. A., & Harris, T. M. (2016). Impostor syndrome and burnout among American medical students: A pilot study. International Journal of Medical Education, 7, 364–369.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2025). Healthy Doubt or Imposter Syndrome: Navigating Anxiety and Self-Doubt in Leadership Positions. Human Capital Leadership Review, 19(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.19.2.5
