Battling Imposter Syndrome in Leadership

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

How many of you feel like imposters? I asked this question last week at an ANA workshop for new nurse managers. A surprisingly high number of the managers in attendance raised their hands. Most were very young nurses with less than 2 years in a manager role. Their reaction was not surprising and feelings about imposter syndrome are even felt by high profile leaders. Sheryl Sandburg, the COO of Facebook, and author of a New York Times best seller Lean In, discussed this problem in her book. She too has had to work hard overcome this problem. Fortunately, there are strategies that you can use if you experience imposter syndrome.

What is Imposter Syndrome?
The term imposter syndrome was originally coined by two researchers, Dr. Pauline Chance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, at the Georgia State University in 1978. These psychologists observed that there are high achieving individuals who have a secret sense, that they may not be able to live up to the expectations that others have for them. They may even think that their success is based on luck versus their own positive qualities. In small doses, this may not be a bad thing because it reminds us to work on building our competency. But some individuals with imposter syndrome feel a level of self-doubt that can lead to overwork and a paralyzing fear of failure. It can compromise your ability to be successful. Interestingly, the idea of you being an imposter probably never crosses the mind of anyone that you work with.

Six Action Steps
Learning to better manage your feelings about imposter syndrome is important. Cathy Robinson-Walker who coaches nurse leaders provides some good advice to mitigate imposter syndrome. Her action steps include the following:
1. Enlist the help of a trusted mentor to discuss your feelings about imposter syndrome.
2. Pay attention to your own self-talk and consider whether your thoughts are empowering or disabling.
3. Make of list of the strengths you bring to the role and what you contribute. Ask others for their input, and refer to the list when you have feelings of self-doubt.
4. Accept that perfection and the need to “know it all” is both unrealistic and can be personally costly.
5. Recognize that there are times when you will be on a steep learning curve in a role and need to further develop your competencies. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t know and utilize the experts on your unit or in your organization.
6. Be willing to be uncomfortable and move through your fear.

Most beginning nurse leaders will grow out of feeling like imposters as they build their competency and become more comfortable in their roles. Biographers of Eleanor Roosevelt have talked about her initial feelings of inadequacy being first lady. In reflecting on her experience, she noted that “I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he/she fears to do, provided he/she keeps doing them until he/she gets a record of successful experience.”

Read to Lead
Clance, P.R. & Imes, S. (1978). The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. Psychological Theory, Research and Practice. 15(3).
Robinson-Walker, C. (2011). The Imposter Syndrome. Nurse Leader. August 2011.
Sherman, R.O. (2013). Imposter Syndrome. American Nurse Today, 8(5), 57-58.