Leadership and Imposter Syndrome: A Personal Journey

Leadership and Imposter Syndrome: A Personal Journey

I often encounter clients grappling with their identity as leaders. This struggle is not uncommon, even among accomplished professionals. Allow me to share a personal reflection that might resonate with many of you.

The Leadership Conundrum?

Recently, I found myself in a conversation about leadership with a brilliant friend - a lawyer and coach. Despite my personal and professional experience in leadership development, I admitted to feeling hesitant about discussing leadership publicly. This reluctance, particularly when it comes to speaking on stage about leadership, stands in clear contrast to my comfort with presenting on other topics.

?In the eyes of many, I am a leader. But it is not a label I’m comfortable using for myself.

Partly, I think this is because our instinctual response to identifying leaders gravitates towards iconic figures at the helm of organisations - the Winston Churchills, Colin Powells, or Elon Musks of the world. Depending on our interests, we might also consider thought leaders like James Clear, Margaret Heffernan, or Daniel Kahneman. However, I believe that impactful leadership often emerges from within organisations, not just from the top.

?The Internal Struggle

Thus, this internal dialogue unfolds whenever I'm asked if I consider myself a leader. While I've held senior positions in the past, I no longer sit at the top of a large organisation. My ego whispers that I'm not a 'real' leader, causing me to shy away from opportunities to discuss leadership publicly.

?Confronting Imposter Syndrome

Yet, as a friend recently reminded me, I was the founding dean of Chatham House's Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, where I designed their leadership curriculum. My leadership experiences span managing both up and down, and some of my most profound insights have come from developing my own business and working with other leaders as a coach.

This creates a cognitive dissonance - intellectually, I understand that I have been and am a leader, but emotionally, I struggle to fully embrace this identity. This gap is where imposter syndrome thrives.

If you've experienced similar feelings, know that you're not alone. Many accomplished professionals grapple with imposter syndrome, especially when it comes to leadership.

?Embracing Your Leadership Journey

I believe that leadership is not just about titles or positions. It's about action, impact, influence, and inspiring and guiding others. It’s about moving the agenda forward. I recently posted a great definition by the outgoing president of the Ford Foundation, @darron walker, ‘Leadership is an action, not a title.’.

Your leadership journey is unique and valuable, regardless of your current role or title.

So, if you, like me, are struggling with acknowledging and accepting your own leadership, I’d suggest you consider the following:

  • Take a moment to recognise your leadership experiences, both formal and informal.
  • Think about how others might define your leadership. What would they say about you?
  • Create a list for yourself of when you’ve shown leadership and an aide memoire or an image that will remind you of those times when you’re feeling its absence.
  • Explore your own broad definition of leadership – when have you seen it in others and be honest with yourself about whether you’ve sometimes shown similar characteristics.
  • When might you be able to learn more about your own style of leadership.

?

Remember, leadership is about making a difference, and that can happen at any level of an organisation. Don't let imposter syndrome hold you back from embracing your leadership potential and sharing your valuable insights with others.

?

If you’re looking for a technique to help you with this, I’d suggest you google ‘embodiment’. There are lots of good videos on YouTube that can help or check out one of my earlier posts on the topic.

?

#executivecoaching #geopoliticalrisk #leadership #professionalwomen Wickett Advisory

Lara Holliday FACCPH

Coach, Facilitator, Curator of Learning Experiences | Founder + CEO Tide Risers | TedX Speaker | Proprietress of Shore Hall

3 个月

Thanks for this insightful post, Xenia, and especially for sharing your own experience with the term ‘leadership’. I have found this to be a common experience for a lot of folks who others would absolutely perceive to be brilliant leaders. The good news is there’s a way to move past that and fully embrace your unique strengths and step into an embodiment of leadership that is in alignment with your values and intentions, and it’s great to hear about your journey doing just that.

Mary Geraghty

General Counsel | Fractional GC | brands | retail| international expansion | high-performing teams | EU & UK mobile

3 个月

great insight Xenia.....as always!!

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Xenia Wickett的更多文章

  • Staying Focused on the Signal

    Staying Focused on the Signal

    The three tenets on which my business is built—distinguishing signal from noise, questioning assumptions, and seeking…

    2 条评论
  • What’s Going On in the US?

    What’s Going On in the US?

    It’s been a month since Trump took office, and I’ve just returned from a week on the East Coast—New York, Miami, and…

    13 条评论
  • How Intentional Are You About Your Life and Work?

    How Intentional Are You About Your Life and Work?

    Most of us are told that success comes from setting clear goals, making detailed plans, and following a well-defined…

    1 条评论
  • January 2025 Insights’

    January 2025 Insights’

    Welcome to 2025. I hope the year has started well for you.

    1 条评论
  • How to succeed in the Trump environment

    How to succeed in the Trump environment

    Donald Trump floods the airwaves with noise enabling him to get a few things achieved that meets his overriding desire…

    3 条评论
  • The State of the World 2025

    The State of the World 2025

    Despite growing geopolitical tensions, 2025 is poised to be a favourable year for the ‘haves,’ particularly in the…

    5 条评论
  • As we wrap up 2024...

    As we wrap up 2024...

    I find myself reflecting on a year of learnings and looking ahead to what 2025 might hold. My early assessment? A…

    4 条评论
  • Global Outlook for 2025

    Global Outlook for 2025

    The year 2025 is set to be defined by profound uncertainty. The combination of economic, geopolitical, and societal…

    3 条评论
  • Assess & Reset

    Assess & Reset

    As the year slows, I’m reflecting on what I’ve accomplished, what I haven’t, and what I want to prioritize in 2025…

    2 条评论
  • Being Alive: Embracing Life's Urgency

    Being Alive: Embracing Life's Urgency

    It’s been a year or so now since a good friend of mine passed away suddenly. The message of living fully and embracing…

    7 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了