Beyond the Deck
#2: Why the Best C-Suite Leaders Feel Like Frauds
From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, high achievers quietly wrestle with feelings of fraudulence. Psychologists argue that self-doubt, harnessed well, is less a weakness than a leadership edge.
You’re an executive at a billion-dollar semiconductor company. Your division alone makes the chips that power half of the world’s appliances and cars. People lean on you. Hardly anyone second-guesses your judgment.
Yet every now and then, right before a board meeting, you hear the panic-laced inner whisper: “I don’t belong here. Any minute now, they’ll figure it out.”
If that sounds familiar, congratulations. You have imposter syndrome. And before you fire up ChatGPT to ask, “how to cure imposter syndrome,” give yourself some credit: it’s not a disease. In fact, it may be a sign you’re doing something right.
Common but Never Identical
In 1978, psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first described the “imposter phenomenon” while studying high-achieving women who, despite stellar records, dismissed their accomplishments as luck or timing. Since then, researchers have found it everywhere: medicine, academia, tech, law—and yes, the C-suite.
A systematic review of 62 studies in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that anywhere from 9% to 82% of professionals experience imposter feelings, depending on the criteria. Stanford’s 2022 survey of 3,000 physicians reported one in four struggles with frequent or intense imposter syndrome, with women and early-career professionals hit hardest.
Gender shapes the flavor. Women often internalize doubt, attributing success to luck or allies. Men aren’t immune but tend to mask insecurity with overconfidence—what Stanford researchers call “overcorrecting by bravado.” Same fear, different costumes.
Culture matters too. In the West, where individualism is currency, imposter syndrome feels like a personal flaw. In Asia, where modesty and family obligations loom large, the fear often shifts: not “I don’t belong” but “I’ll let everyone down.” Both are exhausting; one is lonely, the other heavy.
The More Senior, the More Severe
And here’s the kicker: the higher you climb, the sharper the sting. Success doesn’t inoculate you; it isolates you. The corner office, the assistant, the curated itineraries—all perks that also filter out honest feedback. The inner critic, however, only gets louder.
Arthur Brooks, a Harvard social scientist, reframes it: imposter syndrome is not a sign of incompetence but of healthy humility. “Lean into imposter syndrome, don’t give in to it,” he urges. “The fact that you have the worry means you probably aren’t a phony; the true phony is convinced they’re not one.”
Psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb echoes this: “Most people secretly believe they’re frauds, and it’s that very belief that drives them to get better.” Doubt doesn’t vanish with success; it mutates. Harnessed properly, it sharpens vigilance, humility, and empathy—all hallmarks of great leadership.
About the author: Jenny is the co-founder and head creator of Day 2 Coaching.
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