[Flash] How GE Vice Chair Beth Comstock Slayed Her Imposter Syndrome

When CEO Jack Welch promoted Beth Comstock to VP of Corporate Communications for GE, she battled her imposter syndrome. ?

And for a time, it was winning.? ?

At that level, Comstock was often the only woman in the room. She sat in meetings listening but not saying much. As she shared with Guy Roz on his leadership podcast a few years ago, she was overwhelmed with intimidation.? ?

But then she decided to put?herself out there, make herself known. ? Comstock’s strategy for conquering her imposter syndrome:?

1. Invite herself to leadership meetings
2. Bring one question and one idea
3. Be courageously vulnerable
4. Hire direct reports to mentor her
5. Lead as a mentee

She didn’t wait for invites – she invited herself to meetings. ?

Comstock called leaders’ assistants and said, “I’m going to show up to the meeting, and here’s why,” not wanting anyone to be surprised.? ?

She then attended each meeting prepared to ask one question and share one idea.? ?

And it worked –?she was seen, heard, and known. The new CEO, Jeff Immelt, promptly?promoted Comstock to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). ?

But marketing was not her area of expertise! She didn’t go to business school, and she didn’t have a marketing background.? ?

Her imposter syndrome flared…? ?

So, Comstock did the vulnerable. She confessed to the CEO that she was not qualified for this role but was committed to learning it.? ?

She?became a mentee. ?

Comstock sought knowledge and guidance from CMOs at other large organizations, like P&G. She studied marketing, poring over curricula and textbooks. ?

And she recruited people to mentor her.? ?

Comstock hired CMOs for each of GE’s business units, ensuring they had the business skills she lacked.?They knew she didn’t possess their level of training, so?they helped her figure out what questions she should be asking. ?

She admitted, “It’s intimidating, but I had to learn what to ask.” ?

With mentoring from her direct reports, Comstock helped GE rethink its approach to marketing.? ?

In 2015, GE named her?the first female Vice Chair leading GE Business Innovations. ?

Following her retirement, Comstock published her book Imagine It Forward. In it, she shares wisdom she’s learned?after 27 years with GE, including her secret to slaying imposter syndrome: ?

Trust yourself. Hire great people. Lead through mentors.

? 2025. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved.

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