You walk into the boardroom with confidence. You’re prepared and capable, and everyone around the table knows it except, sometimes, you. Despite promotions, praise, and a solid track record, that persistent inner voice still whispers, “You don’t really belong here.” Welcome to the internal battlefield of imposter syndrome, a silent struggle that many women leaders face, often in isolation.
This isn’t just theory. It’s a lived reality for many, including women at the top. According to a 2020 KPMG study, 75% of women executives reported having experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. Imposter syndrome is the belief that your success isn’t deserved or that you’ve somehow fooled others into thinking you’re more competent than you actually are. It’s not rare. It’s not just a phase. And if you’re a woman in a leadership role, chances are, you’ve felt it too.
What Imposter Syndrome Feels Like.
According to the American Psychological Association, persistent self-doubt can plague women who’ve climbed the ladder successfully. There’s an even deeper fear of being found out, according to an investigation. Many women, astonishingly, walk around with the feeling that somebody will sooner or later figure out that they are actually not competent. This fear, more often than not, stops them from speaking out, volunteering for extra responsibilities, or enjoying the limelight entirely.
A Forbes article furthers on to explain that numerous female managers are under the impression that they have to overwork themselves, striving for perfection and saying yes to every request they get so that they show they are in the right place. The result? Burnout, resentment, and a loss of joy in leadership.
Even with success, a lot of people fail to claim it as their own. Rather than being happy about victories, they minimise them, refuse to be praised, or tell everyone that it was thanks to the team. The KPMG Women’s Leadership Study stresses that this practice, though commonly seen as modesty, doing it over time is actually self-assurance-eroding.
Why Women?
So, why do women leaders encounter imposter syndrome more often? It is certainly not a one-answer question, but it is mostly structural. It all begins with a female upbringing phase.
Gender-wise, from an early age, girls are often told to to be modest, agreeable, and
non-confrontational. Being bold, which is a laudable trait in boys, is sometimes considered “bossy” in girls.
The above statement still holds weight in mature years, where the role of a leader asks for certainty and the ability to express oneself in a clear manner, similar qualities that might still be a woman’s experience of self-doubt even if she feels fully capable.
And then there is the fact of women’s underrepresentation. Just attend an executive team meeting, and the probability is high that you’ll find out one thing – ladies are still fewer in number. Being “the only” in the room creates some kind of tension.In fact, as of 2025, only 11% of Fortune 500 companies are led by women, and in the UK, just 9% of CEOs in FTSE 350 companies are women. It doubles the feeling of being observed, assessed, and put at a higher bar.
One more thing not to forget is gender bias. That can be as simple as being interrupted in a meeting, your idea passing unnoticed, or simply mistaken like a junior person, but those small instances pile up. With time, they make you feel just like, “You know, maybe I do not really fit in here”.
According to the Lean In x McKinsey 2023 report, women are not only more likely to feel pressure to prove themselves, they’re also less likely to be promoted into management roles. The data speaks volumes. So do the stories.
Real Women. Real Struggles.
Even some of the most admired women in leadership have spoken about it. Michelle Obama, in her memoir Becoming and various public talks, has shared moments of deep self-doubt, especially early in her career when navigating elite academic and professional spaces. Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta and author of Lean In, has written about questioning her own worth in boardrooms filled with powerful men despite her obvious qualifications and achievements.
What makes this feeling so powerful is that they normalize the inner struggles many professionals feel, especially in high-stakes, high-visibility roles, without suggesting that everyone experiences them in the same way. By hearing their stories, it becomes easier to recognize how systemic pressures, underrepresentation, and internalized expectations can create those moments of doubt.
So, How Do You Move Past The Imposter Syndrome.
You don’t just “snap out” of imposter syndrome. But you can stop it from calling the shots. The goal isn’t to never feel doubt again. It’s to not let it stop you. Here’s how to gently push back:
Catch That Thought.
Next time your mind says, “I’m not good enough,” pause. Ask yourself: Would I say this to a friend? Probably not. So don’t say it to yourself. Try replacing it with:
“This is new, but I’m figuring it out.”
“I’ve done hard things before, and I can do this too.”
It’s not about being fake-positive. It’s about being fair. That’s what will help you to overcome imposter syndrome.
Write Down the Facts.
Keep a small notebook or even a note on your phone. Every time someone praises your work, you finish something difficult, or you just feel proud write it down.
“Led a meeting today and didn’t freeze.” “Client said I nailed it.”
These are your receipts. When doubts show up, read them like your own greatest hits playlist.
Say It Out Loud.
This one’s hard but powerful: tell someone you trust what you’re feeling. A friend, a colleague, a mentor. Say, “Hey, I’ve been feeling like I’m not good enough lately.”
Chances are, they’ll say: “Me too.”
And just like that, it’s not a lonely fight anymore.
Do It Scared.
The truth? Most confident people aren’t fearless. They just show up anyway. Take the mic. Raise your hand. Say yes to that next-level project, even if you’re nervous. Confidence comes after the leap, not before it. This way you put forward your first step to narrow down the imposter syndrome effect.
Find Your People.
You need folks who clap when you win and remind you who you are when you forget. Build that circle. If you don’t have one yet, start with one person. A mentor, a friend, or even a podcast that lifts you up.
Final Thoughts.
Imposter syndrome may try to rewrite that narrative but remember: doubt doesn’t cancel out capability. And just because the voice in your head is loud doesn’t mean it’s right.
The truth is that women are breaking new ground every day, not because they’re perfect but because they show up with courage, clarity, and conviction, even when it’s hard. So the next time that familiar feeling creeps in stand a little taller. You belong in every room you walk into, not despite who you are, but because of it.